《The Mysterious Earthsea》


 Chapter 1: The Captain’s Diary

    June 14th, Year 8 of the Journey - Clear Skies


    "Those vague whispers have returned to my ears, a sound that isn¡¯t a sound, chaotic and dark. This wretched place is no fit for a man.


    My first mate, Old John, suggested his remedy - to seek out the fragrant ladies at the Red Lip Inn.


    I admit, the thought tempted me, but I resisted. I can¡¯t squander the hard-earned Echo Coins on such indulgences. I must remain vigilant for the sake of returning home.


    Humans are creatures of the land, yet here we are in the underground sea. It proves there¡¯s a way back to the surface, and I will find it!


    I dreamed of my family again last night. I miss them, but their faces are becoming blurred¡­"


    The sudden sway of the Rat interrupted Charles Reid¡¯s writing.


    The old oil lamp beside the diary cast a light on its owner¡¯s face - black pupils, black hair, a typical Asian appearance, but his face was pale, almost transparent, like a vampire from a movie.


    By modern standards, Charles was somewhat handsome, but now his expression was heavy with fatigue, making him look haggard.


    After listening intently to the waves outside for a moment, Charles, finding nothing amiss, picked up his pen and continued.


    "I don¡¯t need those special service workers; writing in my diary helps with the hallucinations. I¡¯ve been sleeping five hours each night recently, the most peaceful sleep I¡¯ve had in ages.


    Of course, learning from those who wrote diaries before me, I write in a script only I can understand - Chinese."


    A harsh metallic screech from outside, like something scratching the bottom of the ship with sharp nails, interrupted him.


    ¡°Snap.¡± The diary was closed, and Charles, with a furrowed brow, walked towards the round porthole.


    He peered out to see the same sight as eight years ago - a lightless sky and dark green sea merging into a curtain of darkness in the distance.


    Darkness ruled everything outside, as if monsters were brewing within it, exuding an eerie atmosphere.


    But in the Sea of Earth, where there are no stars or moon, endless darkness is the norm, and darkness here means everything is normal.


    Staring at the seemingly normal view outside, Charles¡¯ brow furrowed even more. His years of sailing experience told him something was off. He decided to investigate.


    Charles opened the bedside cabinet, where dozens of golden bullets rolled back and forth with the sway of the sea.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    Drawing his revolver from his waist, he skillfully loaded it and headed towards the cockpit.


    ¡°Captain, you¡¯re up early today. It¡¯s not your shift yet.¡±


    At the helm was a bearded, chubby old man. A teenager, around seventeen or eighteen, wearing a sailor uniform, was slumped in a chair to his left. Both had the pale faces of Eastern Europeans, like Charles.


    ¡°First Mate, why is the Rat so shaky? Is our course correct?¡± Charles asked John, the helmsman.


    As he spoke, he walked over and kicked the chair leg, waking the teenager.


    Seeing his captain, the boy quickly wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth and scrambled to his feet.


    ¡°Haha, probably those underwater things smelling our flesh again. You know, in the Sea of Earth, those disgusting creatures are more plentiful than fish. Don¡¯t worry, the Rat is a steel ship; they can¡¯t break in.¡± The chubby old man stepped back, handing the helm over to his captain.


    Despite the first mate¡¯s report, Charles remained on high alert.


    In this mysterious place, humans were no longer at the top of the food chain. Survival here depended on caution alone.


    Charles pressed a button on the old equipment, and the spotlight ahead blazed to life. His eyes scanned the sea surface through the transparent glass.


    Between the sea and the cockpit was a deck stacked with cargo. The ship, not very large, was about thirty meters long.


    ¡°The route to the Coral Islands has been traversed by many cargo ships; those things wouldn¡¯t come here to bother us. Something is off,¡± Charles said, gripping the polished helm, his brow deeply furrowed.


    Old John hesitated, ¡°Could we have strayed from the course? That¡¯s impossible, look, the beacon is still in the distance.¡±


    He pointed towards a faint light in the distance.


    In the starless underground ocean, besides the compass, the only thing that could guide the way was the bright beacons placed along the route. As long as the beacon was visible, it meant the route was a safe one explored by ships.


    Just then, Charles¡¯ pupils suddenly contracted, and he swallowed hard. ¡°How long have you been looking at that beacon?¡±


    ¡°Probably for a few minutes, I¡¯ve been staring at it,¡± Old John replied, his voice trailing off, a look of terror spreading across his chubby face.


    After sailing for so long, they hadn¡¯t passed the beacon yet. Obviously, the beacon was moving at the same speed as their steamship¡ªit was a trap!


    Suddenly, Charles sprang into action, his hands frantically turning the helm, pulling hard to the left.


    With a screech of metal, the steamship beneath them began to turn. Thankfully, the small ship was quick to maneuver, and the Rat started to put distance between itself and the strange beacon.


    Before Charles could breathe a sigh of relief, the teenager pointed behind them, his eyes wide with terror.


    ¡°Captain! It¡¯s closing in on us! It¡¯s so fast!! It¡¯s going to catch up!¡±


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Charles shouted into a nearby pipe, ¡°Chief Engineer! Maximize the boilers! Something¡¯s on our tail!!¡±


    ¡°Aye, Captain!¡± a hearty voice echoed back through the metal tube.


    Dark smoke billowed from the ship¡¯s chimney as the steamship¡¯s speed began to climb.


    ¡°It¡¯s still closing in!! It¡¯s so fast! It¡¯s almost upon us! What the hell is that monster!¡±


    The teenager¡¯s voice pitched higher with extreme fear, his body shaking like a sieve, as if he were about to collapse.


    ¡°Deep! Close your eyes!!¡± Charles, his nerves stretched to the limit, kicked the teenager¡¯s shin, knocking him to the ground.


    John, beside him, forced the boy¡¯s head down, his face red as he shouted frantically, ¡°Don¡¯t look, don¡¯t listen, don¡¯t think!! The captain will get us home.¡±


    No sooner had he finished speaking than a loud crash echoed through the cabin, causing it to shake violently. The two men on the ground rolled into a heap, with Charles gripping the helm tightly to avoid being thrown off.


    ¡°Captain, it¡¯s ramming us!¡±


    Charles¡¯ face was ashen, his cheeks slightly bulging from clenching his teeth.


    He leaned close to the pipe and roared, ¡°Chief Engineer!! Overload the boilers for thirty seconds!!¡±


    ¡°Captain! We can¡¯t! This thing is too old!! It¡¯ll explode!¡±

 Chapter 2: The Monster

    Do as I say! I know my ship!¡±


    After barking at the boiler room, Charles looked down at his first mate on the ground, ¡°John! Get half the cargo off the ship!¡±


    He knew that in critical moments, hesitation was not an option. Survival was paramount.


    ¡°Aye!¡± The chubby old man kicked open the door to the cockpit and rushed out.


    Listening to the splashes of cargo hitting the water, Charles felt his heart bleed.


    Fortunately, the series of measures proved effective. After several more collisions, the lighter Rat began to accelerate, gradually pulling away from the thing behind them.


    When a real beacon finally appeared at the bow, Charles, drenched in cold sweat, slowly released his grip on the helm.


    The trembling teenager crawled to Charles¡¯ feet, clutching his thigh tightly.


    ¡°Cap¡­tain, I just¡­ I just saw¡ª¡±


    Charles pinched the boy¡¯s cheek, stopping him from continuing.


    ¡°What was the third thing I told you before you came on board?¡±


    ¡°¡®Don¡¯t look at or think about the monsters in the water unless they come near our ship, and even if you see them, don¡¯t speak of it¡­¡¯¡±


    ¡°Good. Now stand up, drop the anchor, and then notify everyone on board to gather on the deck. I¡¯m going to take a headcount.¡±


    Charles released his grip and stepped out of the cockpit. The deck was a mess, with water everywhere and ropes floating on the surface, swaying back and forth.


    Wading through the water up to his calves, Charles reached the stern, which was indented like it had been struck by a massive hammer. It was coated with some unknown black slime that emitted an uninterrupted stench.


    The shape made it easy to imagine the size of the creature that had rammed the ship. But eight years of sailing had worn away Charles¡¯ curiosity. He was now considering other problems.


    ¡°Fixing this is going to cost a fortune¡­¡± Charles was frustrated, feeling further from his dream.


    Just then, the whispering sounds returned, as if seeping out from the surrounding darkness.


    ¡°ph¡­nglui mglw¡­nafh¡­¡±


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Charles, his brow furrowed, clenched his fist and repeatedly banged his forehead with the back of his hand, using the pain to dull the annoyance caused by the whispers.


    As he saw the other crew members gathering on the deck, Charles lowered his hand and walked over.


    Upon seeing their captain approach, the men of varying heights quickly formed a line. Regardless of their appearance, their faces were as pale as Charles¡¯.


    ¡°John, First Mate, assisting the captain and organizing various work plans, responsible for cargo stowage plans, helmsman from 12 to 24,¡± the fat old man said first.


    Next to Old John stood a strong, tall man with blue clothes covered in engine oil. After the first mate finished, he quickly followed.Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    ¡°James, Chief Engineer, responsible for maintaining the normal operation of the boilers; also in charge of propulsion systems and additional equipment, boilers, and lubrication, cooling, and fuel.¡±


    Next to the big man was a thin, tall man, resembling a pole.


    ¡°Fre, Cook, responsible for the crew¡¯s meals.¡±


    Following the cook was the pale-faced Deep, who seemed to still be recovering, his body swaying.


    ¡°De¡­ep, Able Seaman, responsible for deck cleaning, and the maintenance and repair of anchors, cables, and loading equipment.¡±


    Charles quickly scanned the four men in front of him and immediately noticed someone was missing. ¡°Where¡¯s the bosun?¡±


    The men looked at each other, none answering.


    ¡°AAAAAH!!¡± Suddenly, a horrific scream came from below the deck.


    ¡°Something¡¯s boarded! Get your weapons!¡± Charles led the group as they rushed forward.


    When they reached the dimly lit crew quarters, a chill shot up their spines.


    In the dark cabin, there were only two people. One stood, the bosun of the Rat, his face filled with terror.


    The other lay on the ground, his identity indiscernible as his skin had been stripped away. Without the protection of his skin, each time his body touched the ground, the bloodied man trembled in pain.


    He lay vaguely on the floor, screaming and struggling hopelessly, his breaths growing weaker.


    ¡°Jim! Find out his identity!¡± Charles quickly drew his revolver.


    The bosun, fear on his face, crawled over and leaned in to listen to the mutilated head.


    After a few seconds, he turned around, panic-stricken, and pointed at Charles, ¡°Captain, he¡­ he says he¡¯s you!¡±


    ¡°Me?¡±


    Hearing the chaotic footsteps of the crew behind him, Charles pointed the gun at the bosun.


    ¡°Charles, Captain, responsible for the safe transport and administrative management of the ship, ensuring the safety of the vessel and the crew¡¯s lives and property to the utmost, handling all matters decisively and prudently in emergency situations, helmsman from 0 to 12! Bosun! Report your duties now!¡±


    ¡°Kill him! He¡¯s not your captain anymore!¡± the bosun pointed at Charles in terror.


    Bang! As Charles pulled the trigger, a bloody hole appeared in the bosun¡¯s forehead, and what flowed out was not blood, but a semi-solid dark yellow liquid.


    Realizing the truth, the shot bosun¡¯s body began to twist and change. His mouth split back to his ears, his limbs rapidly expanded, and with a strange howl, he charged at Charles.


    Bang! Bang! Bang! Bullets quickly rained down on the bosun, his skin tearing like a sack, revealing the dark, rotten, twisted torso beneath, resembling the skin of a toad.


    After all six bullets were fired, the monster still wasn¡¯t dead, spreading its limbs wide as it lunged at the humans before it.


    Charles, as if experienced in such situations, showed no panic on his face. He rolled to the side, avoiding the monster¡¯s attack.


    Even as he dodged, his hands were busy reloading his revolver, and he fired another six shots in quick succession.


    Under the assault of twelve bullets, the monster¡¯s reversed joints softened, and it collapsed powerless to the ground.


    Charles, panting heavily, glanced at the corpse that instinctively revolted against human sensibilities, then turned to look at his terrified crew.


    ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there, throw this abomination overboard,¡± Charles said, walking towards the now-motionless bloody corpse.


    Ignoring the overwhelming stench of blood, he straightened the creature¡¯s head with his hands. When he saw that one of the front teeth was missing, Charles knew that this was his real bosun, and the other had been an impostor from the depths.


    A flash of pain crossed Charles¡¯ face, but he quickly composed himself, reloaded his gun, and began to patrol his ship, searching for any other intruders.


    Deep followed First Mate John as they struggled to move the body.


    The young sailor looked suprised at his companion and said, ¡°The captain is incredibly skilled.¡±


    ¡°Haha, of course, that¡¯s why he¡¯s the captain and you¡¯re just a sailor. He was just like you when he first came on board.¡±


    ¡°Really? What was Captain Charles like when he first joined?¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s a long story. It¡¯s been about seven or eight years. I was a third mate on another ship when Charles drifted in from the sea. When I first met him, he couldn¡¯t even speak.¡±


    ¡°Really? How did he become the captain?¡±


    ¡°The old captain took pity on him and let him follow us at a distance. When we returned to the dock and realized he wasn¡¯t a monster, he stayed on our ship. He learned to speak and to be a sailor at the same time. Not long after he started talking, he announced his plan to lead all of humanity back to the land of light with his own ship. We all laughed and thought he was crazy.¡±


    ¡°What happened then?¡±


    ¡°Then, he worked his way up from sailor to bosun, and from bosun to third mate. When we all thought he would move from third mate to second mate, he actually saved up and bought a second-hand cargo ship, the very Rat we¡¯re standing on now.¡±

 Chapter 3: The Relic

    "My bosun is dead again, fallen to those abominations. How much longer can this nightmare continue? I¡¯m worn to the bone.


    I often wonder if I¡¯ve already crossed into the afterlife, and this is some twisted version of hell.


    But then I dismiss the thought. Even the demons of hell would possess a certain charm compared to those monsters. Nothing here follows logic, not even the people.


    When I first set foot on this world, I thought it was stuck in the early days of the Industrial Revolution. But I soon discovered they¡¯ve delved into mystical side technologies as well.


    Yet, it all seems pointless. Humans here live like ants, scraping a meager existence in the shadows. The darkness is teeming with deadly threats. We¡¯re not the only sentient beings vying for survival.


    Charles¡¯ musings were interrupted by a knock on the door, followed by the voice of Sailor Deep.


    ¡°Captain, the Coral Main Island is in sight.¡±


    Charles made his way to the bow, his gaze fixed on the lighthouse that flickered in the distant darkness. He exhaled a sigh of relief. No matter the hardships faced, they had finally reached their destination.


    As the Rat drew closer, the grandeur of the island behind the lighthouse slowly revealed itself.


    The island was dominated by the grayish-white of coral rock, and the human dwellings scattered across it matched the same monochrome palette.


    The port of the Coral Islands buzzed with activity, steamships of all sizes moving in and out. Rough sailors waved their hats and cheered, their voices filled with the relief of survival.


    This was a newly developed island, a testament to human resilience. An island capable of sustaining life couldn¡¯t rely on coral alone; it needed resources from beyond its shores. That¡¯s where cargo ships like the Rat played a vital role.


    Among the crowd bustling on the dock, many had ears that curled inward¡ªthese were the native inhabitants of the Coral Islands.


    Anyone who lived here for more than five years would find their ears mysteriously curling inward. The reason remained a mystery.


    But this curious phenomenon didn¡¯t deter immigrants from other islands. Compared to the troubles they faced elsewhere, deformed ears were a minor inconvenience.


    After a quick handover of paperwork to the administrator, Charles stepped out of the dock, his expression grim.


    His suspicions had been confirmed. The cargo was more than half gone. Not only had he failed to turn a profit, but he had also suffered a significant loss. The last two months had been a futile endeavor.


    It would take some time for the dock to dispatch materials, and during this brief respite, the crew of the Rat could enjoy some much-needed rest.


    Near the dock stood a row of buildings, their heights varying. Some served as lodgings for sailors, while others offered places for relaxation and indulgence.


    The bustling street was dotted with beggars, their clothes tattered, lying or sitting in the dust, muttering words that made sense only to them.


    These were sailors who had been driven mad by the Sea. Their experiences were beyond comprehension. To avoid a similar fate, one had to adhere to the iron laws of the sea: don¡¯t look, don¡¯t listen, don¡¯t think.


    They were the fortunate ones, for many sailors who encountered maritime disasters simply vanished without a trace, along with their ships.A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    The door of the Bat Inn creaked open, and in the brightly lobby, a group of burly men looked up with unfriendly eyes at the newcomer.


    But as the scent of the sea clung to Charles, they quickly turned their gaze away. Anyone who could survive the treacherous sea was not to be trifled with.


    ¡°I¡¯ll be staying for five days, and I¡¯d like some food sent to my room,¡± Charles stated firmly.


    ¡°Five days of lodging will cost you 630 echo coins, and a meal of delicious bread and mushroom soup will be an additional 30, totaling 660,¡± the innkeeper replied.


    In his damp room, Charles savored his lunch. The food of the underground world was far from gourmet. He tore the black bread into pieces and dunked them into the thick mushroom soup.


    Even soaked in the soup, the bitter black bread remained harsh on his throat, but he had long grown accustomed to it."


    Charles pulled out a smartphone from his pocket, absently swiping its screen with his fingers as he ate. The scratched screen remained stubbornly black, much like the sky outside.


    The only sound in the single room was the slow chewing of Charles.


    ¡°Captain, are you in there?¡± Old John¡¯s voice suddenly came from outside the door.


    Charles quickly pocketed the phone. ¡°Come in, the door¡¯s open.¡±


    The first mate entered cautiously, his face etched with an apologetic expression. ¡°Captain, I need to tell you something. I don¡¯t want to do this anymore.¡±


    Charles¡¯ brow furrowed. ¡°Why? You¡¯ve seen plenty of this before, haven¡¯t you?¡±


    He had been prepared for this, expecting that someone might leave after the recent crewmember¡¯s death. He had thought it would be Deep, who had nearly wet himself with fear, but not Old John, who had been with him through thick and thin.


    John waved his hands dismissively. ¡°I¡¯m too old. Sometimes I fall asleep at the helm. I want to get away from the Sea.¡±


    Charles¡¯ mood soured further, but he didn¡¯t try to persuade him to stay. It was best to part on good terms.


    He placed a small stack of bills on the table. ¡°This is your share.¡±


    John took his earnings but didn¡¯t leave immediately, hesitating in place.


    ¡°Is there something else?¡±


    ¡°Well, Captain, you know, even though I¡¯ve saved a bit, most of my money went to those ladies. This isn¡¯t enough to last me the rest of my life.¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re expecting me to chip in?¡±


    ¡°No, no, of course not. I know that¡¯s impossible. But I have something here that I want to sell you. Since I¡¯m leaving the ship, I won¡¯t be needing this weapon anymore.¡±


    John pulled out a black blade, about the length of a forearm, more like an oversized dagger than a knife.


    Charles looked at the fat old man in front of him, puzzled. It was true that the blade was the first mate¡¯s weapon, but Charles didn¡¯t lack for close-quarters weapons.


    ¡°Captain, don¡¯t underestimate this blade. It¡¯s a relic!¡±


    Charles had heard of these mysterious objects before but had never seen one.


    The origins of relics were varied and debated. Some said they came from the ocean, others from the legendary Land of Light, and still others from unexplored islands. Whatever their origins, it was certain that these objects possessed special powers.


    These powers were diverse, and using them came with a cost, which varied depending on the power.


    Charles had once seen a ring at an auction on the British Isles that was worth 580,000. It could make the wearer invisible for a short time, but the cost was an unbearable itching all over the body.


    ¡°What¡¯s so special about this blade?¡±


    At Charles¡¯ question, John perked up.


    ¡°This weapon is extremely sharp, very sharp.¡± He held the long blade, looking around at the furniture as if itching to test it on something.


    ¡°Thanks, but no thanks. I still prefer a gun.¡±


    While a revolver might be a bit lacking against those monsters, Charles did want some relics for self-defense, but he didn¡¯t want something useless.


    The technological development in the Sea world might be a bit skewed, but on some of the larger islands, they had electricity and firearms. What use was a sharp blade in a world with guns and cannons, especially if it had side effects?


    Seeing Charles¡¯ reluctance to buy, Old John grew anxious. ¡°Captain, it has another special ability. If you hold it, your body¡¯s healing ability will speed up.¡±


    ¡°Two abilities? What¡¯s the cost?¡± Relics were odd things; the benefits and drawbacks weren¡¯t always equal. Sometimes, the benefit was minimal, but the side effect could make the owner¡¯s life miserable.


    ¡°It¡¯s not too severe. If you hold it for a long time, you¡¯ll feel a suicidal urge. Just don¡¯t hold it all the time, and you¡¯ll be fine.¡±


    Charles took the black blade and was surprised by its lightness. It didn¡¯t seem to be made of iron, feeling more like plastic in his hand.


    He cut his hand with the tip of the blade, and the wound did heal slowly, though not as dramatically as John had implied¡ªperhaps three times the normal rate.


    ¡°The cost is acceptable, and the benefit is decent. My ship doesn¡¯t have a doctor, so this could make up for that to some extent.¡±


    Charles decided to buy the blade. It was worth investing in, as long as it was useful.


    With both parties knowing each other well, Charles eventually purchased the relic for 160,000 echo coins.

 Chapter 4: The Cult of Fotan

    Holding the echo bills in his hands, John turned to leave with a sneaky smile on his face. But as he pushed open the door, he hesitated and turned back with a troubled expression.


    Looking at the shadowy figure standing in the interplay of light and darkness, he seemed to struggle with his words.


    ¡°Captain, I¡¯m leaving now, and I¡¯ll be honest with you. Maybe you should come ashore too. Even if you save up enough to buy an exploration ship, what then? The Land of Light doesn¡¯t exist.¡±


    ¡°It exists.¡±


    Charles¡¯ tone was calm, but his eyes were filled with determination.


    ¡°How can something bigger than an island hang in the sky, selflessly providing us with light and warmth, dispelling darkness? It¡¯s all made up by the Church of Light to deceive people.¡±


    Seeing Charles remain silent, Old John sighed and continued to persuade him, ¡°When I first saw you, you couldn¡¯t even speak, but you were so full of vitality, so cheerful and confident. I thought what a fine young man you were. If I had a granddaughter, I would have introduced her to you.¡±


    ¡°You don¡¯t have to hide it from me. I know you¡¯ve been hearing the voice of the divine for many days now. If you continue like this, you really will go mad. Give up.¡±


    Charles, with a blank expression, walked to the door and shut it with a loud ¡°bang.¡±


    ¡°Kid, you¡¯re too stubborn,¡± John¡¯s footsteps gradually faded away, and the door outside returned to silence.


    ¡°Am I too stubborn?¡± Charles leaned against the door and muttered to himself, his expression slowly twisting.


    ¡°What¡¯s wrong with wanting to go back?¡± Charles suddenly shouted in pain.


    ¡°I haven¡¯t done anything criminal!! Why did this happen to me? Why!!¡±


    ¡°Eight years!! Eight whole years!! Why do I have to endure this ordeal!! I just want to go home, what¡¯s wrong with that!!¡± Charles roared loudly.


    The whispering sounds returned to his ears, causing immense irritation.


    ¡°I curse you!!¡± In a rage, he pulled out his gun and pointed it at his temple.


    Just as his trembling finger was about to pull the trigger, a dull protest came from the neighboring wall.


    ¡°Shut up!! Keep it down!!¡±


    The agitated Charles suddenly fell silent. He holstered his gun, picked up a cloth, and carefully wrapped the wooden knife in it.


    That night, Charles dreamed of many things, but when he woke up again, he couldn¡¯t remember any of it.


    ¡°Knock, knock, knock.¡± The door was knocked again.


    When Charles opened the door, he found a bald man with octopus tentacle tattoos on his face standing in front of him.


    ¡°Are you Captain Charles of the Rat? My name is Hook. Pleased to meet you.¡±The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Charles eyed the man in front of him warily. His features were unremarkable, but his inwardly curved deformed ears indicated he was a local from the Coral Islands, and the octopus tentacles on his face signified his faith.


    ¡°What does a follower of Fotan want with me? Are you here to deliver me to your all-powerful god?¡±


    Sensing the hostility in Charles¡¯ words, Hook was not at all offended.


    ¡°To become an offering for the great one, you may not be qualified. I¡¯m here for another matter, Captain Charles. I heard you¡¯re in need of money, is that true?¡±


    Charles was not surprised. This was not the first time someone like this had approached him.


    ¡°I don¡¯t smuggle contraband.¡± Charles said as he was about to close the door.


    Actually, he was lying. He did engage in smuggling when the profit was high enough, but he refused outright to avoid too much contact with these cults.


    The only difference between a Fotan follower and a madman on the street was that the former could speak normally. No sane person would worship a monster from the depths of the sea as a god.


    Just as the door was about to close, Charles suddenly heard a number float through the doorway. ¡°One million echoes.¡±


    Looking through the crack in the door, the bald Hook¡¯s face broke into a confident smile.


    ¡°Mr. Charles, this reward is more than enough to cover your financial shortfall and allow you to purchase a top-of-the-line exploration ship. Just think about it, if you discover a new island, you¡¯ll own your own land and become the governor of the new island. Women, power, and an endless supply of echo coins will all be yours.¡±


    Charles didn¡¯t know how these people knew about his goal, but he was tempted. With that much money, he could take a significant step closer to home.


    He didn¡¯t let his guard down, though. The Cult of Fotan was not a charity organization, and such a huge reward undoubtedly came with extreme danger.


    ¡°What do you want me to smuggle?¡± Charles asked cautiously.


    ¡°It¡¯s not about smuggling goods. We want you to help us find something. Please come with me, and our high priest will explain the details to you.¡±


    After a few seconds of consideration, Charles opened the door and followed Hook out.


    The two of them left the port area, passing through the fishy-smelling docks and heading towards the residential area of the island.


    The residential area of the Coral Main Island was less chaotic and more lively. If it weren¡¯t for the gray-white coral buildings, Charles would have felt like he was walking the streets of London in the mid-18th century.


    Banks, hospitals, clothing stores, theaters¡ªall modern facilities were present on the island. If not for the deformed ears and pale skin of the people, everything would have seemed normal.


    The island was like a city, with bustling streets filled with people of all walks of life, from the poor to the rich, each busy with their own affairs.


    ¡°Roasted spider crab legs, only 4 echoes each!¡±


    ¡°Dad, I can¡¯t walk anymore, I can¡¯t walk anymore.¡±


    ¡°Extra! Extra! Major news, Governor Nico is set to marry his sixth husband in six days!¡±


    ¡°Sir, can I have a moment of your time? Let me introduce you to our Father and Savior, the all-knowing and all-powerful great one, Fotan Savito.¡±


    The peaceful scenery was not to Charles¡¯ liking. Even if it was peaceful, what use was it? Everything here was as fragile as a bubble. Although rare, islands inhabited by millions of people had sunk before.


    The two of them weaved through the gray-white buildings until they arrived at a massive church.


    As they entered the church, the surrounding noise instantly fell silent. In the center of the hall stood a huge stone statue that barely resembled a human figure.


    It was more like a standing, rotting octopus, with flipped scales and eyes covering its entire body, making it unbearable to look at.


    Black-robed believers stood in neat rows, reciting some kind of consonant-free language in low voices. Charles found the words somewhat familiar, resembling the hallucinations he had experienced.


    ¡°The high priest is in the confessional. Please follow me.¡± Hook led Charles through the crowd and continued deeper into the church.


    The security behind the hall became stringent, with a black-robed believer standing at every corner or room entrance. Although no one spoke, Charles could feel their eyes on him.


    In a dimly lit room, Charles saw the high priest of the Fotan cult, a red-robed figure lying on the ground.


    Hook respectfully performed a religious gesture and then backed out of the room.


    The high priest slowly stood up, but did not turn around.


    ¡°Captain Charles, my cult needs you to find something. A sacred relic of our lord.¡±

 Chapter 5: The High Priest of Fotan

    The high priest¡¯s voice was old and thick, as if he had a mouthful of pus in his throat, making Charles feel very uncomfortable.


    ¡°Where is the item?¡±


    ¡°Not far, on a newly discovered island to the left of the Coral Islands.¡±


    Charles continued to ask, ¡°Why me? There are many people and ships stronger than mine.¡±


    ¡°Heh heh, the place is a bit dangerous, we need a cautious captain.¡±


    Charles didn¡¯t believe his ¡°a bit dangerous.¡± ¡°A bit dangerous¡± wasn¡¯t worth a million echo coins.


    ¡°Have you said this to others? What was their fate?¡±


    The high priest spoke with contempt, ¡°Isn¡¯t Captain Charles the one who claims to want to buy an exploration ship? Being afraid of such a little danger doesn¡¯t seem like the hero who can expand our human territory.¡±


    Seeing that the red-robed figure didn¡¯t directly answer his question, Charles knew that the predecessors¡¯ fate must have been bad, and the place was definitely dangerous.


    After pondering for a moment, he decided to take on this task. Wealth and danger went hand in hand, and he didn¡¯t want to delay any longer.


    As for danger? Where could be safe nowadays on the sea? There was no safe place anywhere on the sea.


    ¡°Okay, but how can I guarantee that you¡¯ll keep your word?¡±


    The high priest of the Fotan cult seemed to be very understanding. ¡°I can put the reward in the British Bank, and let them be the witness.¡±


    He paused for a few seconds and then continued, ¡°I have a small doubt, Captain Charles. Why are you so eager to buy an exploration ship? For power? Echo coins? Or honor?¡±


    Charles didn¡¯t intend to hide it. ¡°To find the Land of Light.¡±


    Upon hearing this, the red-robed figure trembled, and his aged voice asked with a hint of panic, ¡°Looking for the Land of Light? Are you one of the Light Church?¡±


    ¡°No.¡±


    Hearing Charles¡¯ answer, the high priest relaxed. ¡°That¡¯s good. If you were one of those heretics, we would have to reconsider our deal. Don¡¯t get involved with them, those heretics are complete madmen, they are a cult!¡±


    Listening to the follower of the Fotan cult, which liked human sacrifices, say this, Charles felt a strange urge to laugh. If judged by the standards of the surface world, all religions in the sea were cults, with religious rituals as inhumane as they could get.


    When Charles walked out of the confessional, the bald man called Hook, carrying a cup of blood, walked in and placed it respectfully behind the high priest.


    ¡°Go and sign the contract now, and let him set off as soon as possible.¡±


    Hook nodded and, after pondering for a moment, asked cautiously, ¡°High Priest, do you think this will succeed?¡±This narrative has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. If you see it on Amazon, please report it.


    A black octopus tentacle emerged from under the red robe, wrapped around the cup of water, and retracted into the robe. ¡°Let¡¯s try slowly, this is only the ninth one, don¡¯t rush¡­ The things of the Holy Lord can only belong to us.¡±


    Without wasting time, Charles followed the approaching Hook to the largest bank in the Coral Islands.


    Seeing the bald man write the name of the Fotan Church on the contract, Charles felt reassured. The legitimacy of this contract was now endorsed by the governor of the Coral Islands. The Fotan cult couldn¡¯t go back on their word, as the cost would be far more than a million echo coins.


    ¡°Captain Charles, I heard your first mate got off the ship, didn¡¯t he?¡±


    ¡°Does that have anything to do with this matter?¡± Charles put the contract into the inner pocket of his coat.


    ¡°Of course not, it¡¯s just that to help you complete the task as soon as possible, the Fotan cult has specially selected a first mate for you. He has rich navigation experience, please don¡¯t refuse.¡±


    Looking at the bald man in front of him, Charles frowned. ¡°To monitor me?¡±


    ¡°No, he¡¯s just to show you the way. That island is very remote, I¡¯m afraid you won¡¯t be able to find it.¡±


    Charles didn¡¯t care. Currently, their interests were aligned, and these people wouldn¡¯t send someone to deliberately sabotage the mission.


    ¡°I will set off at six o¡¯clock in three days.¡±


    Three days later, the port was beginning to bustling with activity, as teams of laborers moved cargo like ants.


    Charles stood at the bow of the ship, waiting. The other crew members chatted casually on the deck, among them two new faces, both new sailors. The former sailor, Deep, had been promoted to boatswain.


    The suddenly promoted young man looked excited, standing with his hands behind his back like a seasoned veteran, instructing the new sailors even though they were much older than him.


    The chief engineer and the cook nearby didn¡¯t share their carefree attitude, knowing that this mission was not going to be simple.


    ¡°James, I thought you would get off the ship like John?¡± said the cook, Fred, who was as thin as a bamboo pole.


    ¡°The captain saved my life. Where he goes, I go. And the captain said that the reward for this mission is generous. Once I get the payment, I can propose to Mosika.¡± The large man¡¯s face was filled with happiness, as if he could already see the wedding scene.


    ¡°And if you die? This isn¡¯t just a delivery mission. If we¡¯re being honest, exploring islands is the job of explorers.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m not afraid. It¡¯s not bad to go with you guys.¡±


    The chief engineer thought of something and turned to his companion, ¡°Fred, why are you here?¡±


    ¡°You know my personality, I¡¯m too lazy to move.¡± Fred said, shifting his gaze to the back of his captain, his eyes filled with calm.


    The real reason he didn¡¯t leave was because a few years ago, he had caught a glimpse of the captain using a rectangular object that could not only play music like a record player but also had ghosts performing plays on it.


    Although he didn¡¯t know what it was, he felt it was some kind of powerful relic, and he guessed that the cost of this relic was tears. The usually rational captain had cried like a child that day.


    From that moment on, he decided to stick with this captain. Following a captain with such a powerful relic, safety was guaranteed.


    The high pay at sea didn¡¯t matter, nor did the amount of work. Staying alive was the most important thing.


    His choice had proven correct. Most of the people who had gone to sea at the same time as him were dead, while he was still alive and well.


    Suddenly, Charles narrowed his eyes at the bow. In the distance, a row of black-robed Fotan cultists were walking towards the dock through the laborers, led by the bald man named Hook.


    ¡°Where is he? Hurry up, I¡¯m in a hurry.¡± Charles looked impatient.


    Hook smiled and clapped his hands lightly, and a man stepped forward from behind him.


    When Charles saw the man¡¯s outfit, he thought he was looking at a mummy. The person was wrapped tightly in earth-colored bandages, with no skin showing at all.


    ¡°You can call him Bandage or whatever. He used to be a first mate and knows the location of the island. He¡¯ll be a great help to you on this trip.¡±


    ¡°Is there something alive inside?¡± Charles asked cautiously.


    ¡°Heh, don¡¯t worry, he¡¯s human, flesh and blood.¡±


    Hook pulled out a dagger and slashed it across the bandaged man¡¯s face. Under the loosened bandages was black skin, and the cut wound oozed scarlet blood.


    ¡°A black man? Are there still black people in this world?¡± Charles looked closer and realized he was mistaken. The man¡¯s skin was not black but covered with densely packed letter tattoos, giving the illusion of being black at first glance.

 Chapter 6: The Target Island

    Charles pointed at the Rat beside him and turned to walk up the stairs.


    Bandage, indifferent to the bleeding wound on his face, performed a Fotan cult salute to Hook and followed suit.


    As the two were boarding the ship, Hook extended his right hand, and the bloody dagger in his hand pierced the chest of the believer on his left.


    ¡°AAAAHHH!!¡± The scream echoed throughout the port.


    The others in the port, seeing the black robe of the Fotan cult believer, dared not meddle in the affair and kept their heads down, busy with their own tasks.


    Charles, turning to see this scene, his face filled with disgust, this was why he had previously avoided contact with the Fotan cult. He turned to shout at Deep, who had come over to watch the commotion. ¡°Don¡¯t just stand there, weigh anchor and set sail!¡±


    Hook gave a tug, and a beating heart appeared in his hand. He took the heart to the side of the Rat, smearing something on the hull while muttering under his breath.


    ¡°Get away, don¡¯t touch my ship with that disgusting thing.¡± Charles instantly drew a revolver and pointed it at his head.


    ¡°Captain Charles, with this, your ship will be protected by the great one.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t need it!¡± Charles¡¯ finger rested on the trigger.


    Seeing that Charles was not joking, Hook, holding the heart, smiled slightly, bowed slightly, and stepped back half a step.


    ¡°Captain Charles, we Fotan believers are always polite and friendly, why do you always have a prejudice against us?¡±


    Looking at the bloody heart in his hand, Charles couldn¡¯t be bothered to explain.


    Under Hook¡¯s gaze, the Rat¡¯s chimney began to emit black smoke, slowly heading towards the dark ocean.


    ¡°Deep, take the helm for me.¡± Charles shouted to the boatswain before heading to the captain¡¯s quarters with Bandage.


    A yellowed sea chart was spread out on the table. The chart was not detailed, with only a few scattered islands marked in the vast expanse of black.


    This was the best that could be bought at the port; more detailed maps were held by the Explorers¡¯ Association.


    ¡°Where is your item? How far is it from the Coral Island?¡±


    The bandaged right hand accurately pointed to a point in the unmarked darkness.


    ¡°Unexplored territory¡­¡± Charles had anticipated this answer. An already explored island wouldn¡¯t offer such a high reward.


    ¡°What does your relic look like?¡± Charles continued to ask.


    After a long pause, Bandage slowly replied, ¡°A statue of the Holy Lord¡­ made of gold¡­¡±


    Although the response was somewhat halting, the voice was surprisingly young, sounding like a teenager going through puberty.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°Is that thing a relic?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    ¡°What dangers are on the island?¡±


    ¡°¡­¡±


    Facing Charles¡¯ further inquiries, Bandage remained silent.


    ¡°You take the helm, your shift is from 12 to 24. If you need to use the restroom or anything, Deep can take over for a bit, I¡¯ve taught him how to steer.¡±


    Bandage stood up silently and walked outside.


    Charles¡¯ finger tapped on the table, organizing his thoughts. It sounded simple: find the item and bring it back. But if it were really that simple, the Fotan cult wouldn¡¯t have sought outside help.


    The place must be extremely dangerous. The first mate sent by the Fotan cult offered no hints, which could mean two things: either he truly didn¡¯t know, as all previous expeditions had ended at the bottom of the sea, unable to relay any information.


    Or the danger was so great that they were deliberately keeping it from him to avoid scaring him off. Neither option was good news. Now, he could only take things one step at a time.


    The journey at sea was incredibly oppressive, and the Rat was depressingly small, limiting the space for movement. Fortunately, except for the two new sailors, everyone else was used to it.


    Charles had initially been wary of the new first mate, keeping an eye on him. But after a few days of cohabitation, he found that aside from speaking slowly and dressing strangely, Bandage showed no other abnormalities.


    He was steady at the helm, seemingly very skilled. Charles¡¯ guard was lowered a notch, though not entirely dismissed.


    As the navigation marks slowly disappeared, the Rat gradually entered an uncharted area, untouched by human feet.


    Without the distant light points for orientation, the crew¡¯s nerves began to tighten. There was a saying in the Sea of Earth: when a ship enters unexplored territory, the seafloor has already reserved a spot for the crew.


    But several days passed, and the fierce battles Charles had anticipated did not come. The sea was as calm as a lake, and looking over the bow, the surroundings seemed like static ink.


    This kind of calm was far from reassuring, resembling the tranquility before a storm, oppressive and suffocating.


    Charles was on high alert, patrolling the deck day and night, fearing that something from the depths might climb aboard.


    The ship¡¯s searchlight pierced the darkness like a column of light, providing the crew with a semblance of security.


    "Year 8 of the Crossing, July 1st, Clear


    Today is still normal. This tangible oppression is driving my crew mad. That kid Deep spends every free moment kneeling on the deck, praying to various deities.


    I stopped him. The gods of the Sea of Earth are not to be worshipped lightly; careless words can invite trouble.


    Luckily, the cook found a nest of baby rats in the warehouse, diverting their attention. Watching them feed the little rats with care and precision, I feel a sense of emotion.


    They have companions, but what about me? Why did I have to cross over alone? It¡¯s really lonely. I wish I had a companion."


    After the ink dried, Charles closed the diary and put it in the cabinet.


    He took out a square glass bottle, the height of a forearm, filled with brown liquid, from the bottom of the cabinet, and took a swig. The dizzy feeling relaxed his tense brain.


    Charles had never understood why people liked to drink, with its bitter taste like horse urine. But now he knew.


    His exhausted brain needed more alcohol to numb it, but Charles didn¡¯t drink any more. A couple of swigs to relax was fine, but drunkenness would dissipate his determination to return home.


    Just then, sudden cheers erupted from outside. Charles was taken aback and quickly put the bottle away, rushing to the deck.


    The boatswain Deep ran up to Charles, excitement written all over his face, his cheeks red as he struggled to find the right words.


    Charles looked over the ship¡¯s rail into the distant darkness, and under the illumination of the searchlight, a massive object appeared directly in front of the Rat. It was an island; they had arrived.


    The steamship slowly approached the shore, but the cheers gradually faded. Along the coast of the island, eight old steamships of various sizes were docked, their hulls showing signs of decay, with the oldest appearing to be from two or three years ago.


    The ships were motionless, like coffins placed on the sea surface.


    ¡°How¡­ how can there be so many ships? Where are their crews?¡± Deep¡¯s voice trembled with anxiety, but no one answered.


    Looking at the island again, a shadow fell over everyone¡¯s heart.


    Charles didn¡¯t rush to disembark. Instead, he took Deep and James and jumped onto the nearest steamship.


    There were no signs of bloodshed or chaos, and there was no shortage of fuel or food. Everything seemed so normal, except for the missing crew.


    Charles suddenly thought of something and burst into the captain¡¯s quarters, rummaging through the place until he found a hidden diary.

 Chapter 7: The Unseen Threat

    "Year 435, January 11th


    We¡¯ve finally arrived, blessed by the Great One. As long as we retrieve the relic, I can undergo the initiation rite and become a true servant of the Holy Master!"


    These were the last entries in the diary, indicating that the captain was a follower of the Fotan cult. It was easy to deduce that before approaching Charles, the Fotan cult had sent their own believers here.


    Charles had his crew search the other ships, and they found similar situations, with captains¡¯ diaries recording their last moments of excitement.


    As Charles was puzzling over the cause, the slim cook, Fry, handed him a diary.


    ¡°Captain, take a look at this one. It¡¯s different.¡±


    Charles took it and flipped it open, his pupils instantly narrowing. The cream-colored pages were filled with chaotic words.


    ¡°Be careful! Don¡¯t go to the island, they¡¯re not human! They¡¯re going to eat us! I don¡¯t want to be! I¡¯m going back to the island, it¡¯s safe there!¡±


    The disjointed phrases indicated that the person was mentally unstable, sending chills down the spines of everyone reading the diary. They wondered what the captain had experienced.


    Deep swallowed hard, his Adam¡¯s apple bobbing, as he retreated and warily looked at his companions. The diary suggested the danger came from their own people. Did that mean there were monsters among them?


    Charles knew what he was thinking and tapped his head with the diary. ¡°Don¡¯t let your imagination run wild. We haven¡¯t even set foot on the island yet.¡±


    ¡°Captain, are we still going?¡± Deep asked hesitantly.


    ¡°Of course we are.¡± Charles¡¯ expression hardened. No matter the danger on the island, nothing could stop him from finding his way home. He would rather die trying.


    The Rat slowly approached the beach, and the rusty anchor crashed into the water, the black smoke from the chimney gradually dissipating.


    A wooden boat was lowered, and everyone headed towards the island.


    As they neared the shadowy island, Charles opened a wooden box and distributed flintlock pistols and revolvers, with bundles of tightly wrapped explosives at the bottom.


    He had specifically procured these for the mission.


    With weapons in hand, everyone felt more composed.


    Seven armed, sturdy men jumped off the boat and walked across the sand towards the distant forest.


    The forest, if it could be called that, had not a single green leaf. The gnarled branches seemed coated with a thick layer of rust, and the trunks were tumor-like, with some parts swollen and others sunken.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    Walking through it felt like traversing the inside of a human body.


    The crew knew their mission was to find a golden statue of Fotan. They searched for anything that glinted in the torchlight but found nothing.


    After walking for a while, a set of scattered footprints appeared on the ground. Seeing human footprints, the group relaxed slightly. Footprints meant others had passed this way; it should be safer.


    Whether they were right or not, the seven men walked for nearly two hours without any incidents.


    When they gathered branches and lit a bonfire, the tense atmosphere eased a bit.


    The bread toasted to a golden brown over the fire, and the crew speculated about what had happened to the missing people.


    ¡°Do you think monsters ate them? Like the things in the sea.¡±


    ¡°It doesn¡¯t seem like it. Some of those ships had Fotan cult members. You know the sea creatures rarely attack them. I think there¡¯s some danger on the island.¡±


    Charles didn¡¯t join the discussion. He warily scanned the surroundings. The bizarre forest was eerily quiet, devoid of any sound except for the ones they made¡ªno insect chirps, no bird calls.


    The absence of danger on the island was undoubtedly strange. He had read many explorers¡¯ logs; no island in the Sea of Earth was safe.


    The islands currently inhabited by humans were only occupied after efforts to eliminate the dangers.


    Like the Coral Islands before, when humans first encountered it, they discovered the island was alive. A fleet of over twenty exploration ships engaged in a fierce battle with the massive coral, and it was said that many died before they finally managed to destroy it.


    ¡°Stop talking and finish eating. The longer we stay here, the more dangerous it becomes.¡±


    Hearing Charles¡¯ words, the crew ceased their chatter and began to eat more quickly, briefly restoring their strength. Charles and his group then continued on their way.


    ¡°Captain, I heard that when we return, we¡¯ll be on a big ship, right?¡± Deep asked in a low voice, sidling up to Charles.


    ¡°Mm-hmm.¡±


    ¡°That¡¯s great! Then I can be like the bosuns on other big ships and manage a dozen sailors. Unlike now, when I don¡¯t even have half a sailor under me.¡±


    Casting a glance at the enthusiastic young man, Charles¡¯ lips curled up. Youth was indeed wonderful, always thinking towards the best outcomes.


    But it was true that he should recruit more sailors upon their return. The Rat might not be large, but having no sailors at all was a bit ridiculous.


    Charles and the others followed the path, which seemed to stretch on endlessly, never reaching an end.


    If it weren¡¯t for the changing footprints on the ground, Charles would have thought they were walking in place.


    After nearly three hours of walking, when their feet were starting to ache, the forest suddenly cleared before them, and a stone structure entwined with brown vines appeared.


    The building appeared somewhat dilapidated, and it was unclear whether it was a temple or a church. The place where a wooden door should have been was now gone, leaving only a dark opening.


    Charles pulled Bandage over and pointed seriously at the structure, asking, ¡°Is it inside there?¡±


    Bandage hesitated before nodding, ¡°It should be¡­ I¡¯m not¡­ sure¡­ sorry¡­ my memory isn¡¯t very good¡­¡±


    Regardless of whether it was true or not, Charles decided to go in and take a look. At least the footprints on the ground led right to the entrance, and they weren¡¯t chaotic, indicating that danger had not yet appeared.


    He turned to his chief engineer and cook, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go, the four of us will take a look inside.¡±


    James and Fry nodded in unison, following Charles as he strode in.


    The light from the torches illuminated the interior of the building. Unlike its dilapidated exterior, the inside was surprisingly clean and spacious. The smooth red floor was devoid of even a speck of dust. However, the things on the walls made the entering men¡¯s scalps tingle.


    The walls were covered with layers of bizarre reliefs, depicting grotesque creatures beyond human imagination, intertwining with each other.


    They resembled hybrids of starfish and octopuses, with a single eye embedded in the center of their strange bodies.


    Through their body language, they seemed to be worshiping something.


    But these bizarre reliefs didn¡¯t draw too much attention from the three men. All of them were focused on the golden statue in the center. The strange, tentacled humanoid statue was none other than the god Fotan.

 Chapter 8: Alone

    ¡°We found it! It¡¯s right here!!¡±


    Charles¡¯ excitement was growing. The object was just lying there, unguarded. All they had to do was take it back to the Coral Islands, and the mission would be complete!


    He stepped forward to grab it but stopped abruptly. A thought flashed through his mind. Was it really that simple? If it was, why hadn¡¯t the previous teams taken it and instead disappeared?


    As Charles hesitated, Bandage beside him moved, walking over to pick up the golden statue of the god Fotan.


    He then returned to Charles¡¯ side and said in his slow, drawn-out voice, ¡°Let¡¯s¡­ go back¡­ the high priest is waiting¡­¡±


    Although Charles felt something was off, since they had the artifact in hand, he couldn¡¯t worry about that now. He waved his hand, and the crew quickly made their way out.


    ¡°That thing looks heavy. We¡¯ll take turns carrying it for thirty minutes each.¡±


    Bandage and James nodded in agreement. They continued along the path towards the coast. The golden statue was indeed heavy, and even with rotating carriers, it was exhausting work.


    Halfway down the path, Charles stopped for a rest. It was important not to wait until they were completely exhausted to take a break, or they wouldn¡¯t have the chance to react if something happened.


    Sitting by the campfire, Charles looked around warily at the darkness.


    If there had been no danger on the way in, then the danger must lie on the way back. He couldn¡¯t let his guard down.


    After resting for a few minutes, Charles turned to Bandage beside him and said, ¡°For the next stretch, we can¡¯t stop. We have to go all the way.¡±


    Bandage nodded, paused for a few seconds, and then looked around before saying, ¡°I¡­ I think I forgot something¡­¡±


    ¡°As long as we have the statue, nothing else matters. Let¡¯s move.¡± Charles, somewhat impatient, grabbed the statue and continued forward.


    Bandage said no more, following in silence.


    The bizarre forest flickered in and out of view under the firelight. Besides the two men¡¯s breathing and footsteps, there was no other sound.


    When Charles finally reached the beach and saw the Rat in the distance, his sweat-covered face broke into a smile of relief.


    ¡°This adventure is a success. Once we get back and deliver this to the Fotan cult, I can buy an exploration ship, recruit a crew, and find my way home.¡±If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.


    But as he stepped onto the sand and ran towards the distant Rat, his footsteps halted, and his smile faded. A question popped into his mind.


    ¡°Did I really sail this large steamship here all by myself??¡±


    A sudden, inexplicable fear gripped Charles. He recounted the events of his journey.


    ¡°I was invited by the Fotan cult to find their relic. I set off on the Rat alone, I prepared food in the kitchen alone, I fueled the turbine alone, I cleaned the deck alone, I¡­ I patrolled the deck alone, I¡­ steered the ship alone?¡±


    Charles, holding the golden statue, paced back and forth on the beach.


    ¡°I used to have a crew. I sailed with the first mate, Old John, and the bosun, Dim. But after Dim was skinned by something underwater, and John disembarked at the Coral Islands, it¡¯s been just me on the Rat. That¡¯s right!!¡±


    Charles¡¯ face contorted in pain. His memories were clear, but they contradicted reality. It didn¡¯t make any sense.


    ¡°This can¡¯t be! I¡¯m not a superhero, how could I possibly have done all that by myself! There must be some mistake!!¡±


    As Charles¡¯ gaze casually swept over the footprints on the ground, he shuddered.


    There were seven sets of footprints of varying sizes, all clearly recent.


    Charles quickly dropped the statue and pulled off his boot, comparing it to one of the prints on the ground.


    ¡°The pattern, the size, the curve¡ªit¡¯s my footprint! I wasn¡¯t alone. My memories have been altered!¡±


    Drenched in cold sweat, he looked towards the few empty ships near the Rat. Now he understood why there were no people on those ships.


    Charles took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. ¡°The evidence suggests I wasn¡¯t alone. I had a crew. They¡¯ve disappeared, not just in reality, but from my mind as well. I have to find them. I can¡¯t return alone.¡±


    But a new problem faced Charles: how could he find six people he didn¡¯t recognize and who didn¡¯t exist? Who were they? What were their names? Were they men or women?


    At that moment, a figure slowly stepped into the light of the torches.


    The instant Charles saw the person¡¯s appearance, his pupils contracted, and he quickly drew his pistol, pointing it at the creature¡¯s head.


    It was a humanoid figure wrapped in old yellow bandages, the bandages cut and tattered, exposing the dark skin beneath.


    ¡°Stop!! State your name!!¡±


    ¡°My¡­ my name is Bandage, no, that¡¯s not right¡­ I don¡¯t¡­ I¡¯m not Bandage. Who are you? I think I know you¡­ do you know me?¡±


    Quickly glancing at the bandage-wrapped feet of the mummy-like figure, Charles searched among the seven sets of footprints.


    The pattern of the bandages was clearly imprinted in the sand. Incredible as it seemed, this creature was indeed his crew member.


    Charles lowered his revolver and quickly explained the situation to Bandage.


    ¡°Is¡­ is that true? I can¡¯t remember. Who am I? Do you know who I am?¡± Bandage¡¯s voice was hesitant.


    ¡°We¡¯ll talk about that later. Where did you escape from? Are there others there?¡± Charles pressed on.


    ¡°From¡­ from the trees¡­ the trees didn¡¯t like me¡­ they let me go. There are others there.¡±


    Charles couldn¡¯t make sense of Bandage¡¯s words, but it seemed he knew where the others were.


    ¡°Take me there. We have to rescue them.¡±


    After memorizing the patterns of the remaining five pairs of footprints, Charles led Bandage back into the strange forest.


    The misty forest was as silent as ever. Bandage led Charles back onto the path covered in footprints.


    With the earlier revelation in mind, Charles began to notice something amiss. The footprints on the ground were decreasing, suggesting that they too had disappeared.


    Whether it was psychological or not, Charles started to feel that something in the forest was watching him.


    After walking for about half an hour, the shaky Bandage suddenly turned and walked into the forest beside them. Charles now understood why the bandages on his body were so tattered.

 Chapter 9: The Living Trees

    Charles grabbed Bandage and pulled out the black knife from his leg, using it as a machete to slash at the bandage-covered branches ahead.


    The thorny branches were easily cut, but the ends were hollow.


    The two plunged deeper into the forest, and soon Charles saw the ¡°others¡± that Bandage had spoken of. The sight was stunning.


    Before them was a bizarre dwarf tree with thorny trunks wrapped around the bodies of teenagers. The unconscious humans hung in the air like pieces of cured meat, swaying slightly, as if they were the fruits of this monstrous tree.


    There were more ¡°fruits¡± on the tree, numerous and ripe.


    ¡°Get them down,¡± Charles said, gripping the black knife and rushing forward.


    A teenager fell to the ground with a groan, slowly waking up. Looking at Charles hacking at the tree trunk, he was confused. ¡°Who are you? Have you seen my captain?¡±


    Charles had no time for explanations. He hacked at the branches with wild abandon, rescuing everyone. But this time, the hollow branches contained something¡ªa cluster of short, trembling pink tentacles that fell out from the cross-section.


    ¡°Crack, crack, crack¡­¡± The trunk of the dwarf tree suddenly moved, and all eyes turned to it.


    The rust-red trunk slowly cracked open, and several solid beams of light shot out from the fissures, scanning Charles.


    A thought flashed through Charles¡¯ mind, ¡°Is this thing alive?¡±


    The movements of the dwarf tree grew more intense, to the point where Charles could see the twisted flesh inside the cracks, the yellow-brown eyeballs, and the fierce anger within them.


    ¡°Run!!¡± The living humans instantly moved, their instincts driving them to flee quickly, even though they didn¡¯t fully understand the situation.


    They had barely taken a few steps when a loud ¡°boom¡± echoed, and the dwarf tree exploded, releasing twisted flesh creatures.


    At first glance, they resembled black-haired starfish, but a closer look revealed that the hair was actually dense, dark, elongated tentacles. A bright yellow single eye and a mouth full of fangs were located at the center of their bodies.


    The monsters opened their mouths and twitched their tentacles, frantically chasing their escaping prey.


    Fortunately, Charles had already cleared a path, and the distance between them was steadily increasing.


    ¡°Crack, crack, crack¡­¡± All the tree trunks around them trembled and cracked. It seemed as if Charles and his group had triggered some mechanism, awakening various deformed creatures, who stretched out their revolting flesh strips.


    They swayed, emitting piercing shrieks that made everyone¡¯s head ache, turning the entire island into a living hell.


    Evil stares from all around pierced through the darkness, sending chills down their spines and stiffening their limbs.If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.


    ¡°Faster! Move faster!!¡± Charles helped the teenager escape.


    They ran for what felt like an eternity, the situation growing more desperate by the second. Now, not only were they being pursued by the surging flesh behind them, but the trees ahead had also begun to shake.


    Just then, a web of writhing tentacles formed ahead, trapping them!


    In a moment of desperate inspiration, Charles remembered something and reached to his waist, feeling a hard object¡ªit was the explosives he had brought!


    ¡°Boom!!¡± Flesh flew in all directions, opening up the blocked path once more.


    The explosives cleared the way for the group, but as their supply dwindled, their faces grew more somber.


    As Charles held the last pack of explosives, the sound of waves crashing against the shore reached them from the distance. The exit was just ahead!!


    Everyone knew what this meant, and their pace quickened even further, desperately tapping into their remaining reserves of energy.


    The last pack of explosives was lit and thrown, and the hard ground finally gave way to soft sand. They had made it out.


    The seven of them sprinted towards the wooden boats on the shore, with the flesh-like monsters hot on their heels.


    Out of the corner of his eye, Charles saw a flash of gold¡ªit was the Fotan statue he had dropped earlier.


    Charles ran a few quick steps, picked up the statue, and jumped into the boat. The others frantically paddled, and they managed to reach the sea just as the monsters were about to catch up.


    The creatures seemed to fear the water, retreating as soon as they touched it.


    Once they were all safely back on the Rat, the group finally let out a collective sigh of relief. They collapsed onto the deck, panting like exhausted dogs.


    Despite his muscles screaming in protest, Charles forced himself to stand up. The danger wasn¡¯t over yet; they needed to leave the island.


    ¡°Fire up the boiler, weigh the anchor, take the helm! We¡¯re getting out of this hellhole!¡±


    ¡°Aye, Captain.¡±


    As the crew quickly carried out his orders, Charles felt a twinge of surprise, something felt off.


    He quickly sifted through his memories and was astonished to find that his crew had returned, and he could recall their names.


    It seemed that whatever the island or the monsters had done to their memories, it wore off once they left the island.


    Leaning on the ship¡¯s railing, Charles gazed back at the island. In the darkness, the flesh-like monsters were vague visible, their tentacles extended, swaying rhythmically as if performing some sort of ritual. The sight was eerily terrifying against the dark backdrop.


    As Charles watched, the Rat¡¯s chimney began to billow black smoke once more, and they slowly sailed away from the bizarre island.


    It wasn¡¯t until mealtime that the crew learned what had happened, and they were shocked by the tale.


    ¡°My god, unexplored islands are that dangerous? No wonder the missing rate for exploration ships is so high.¡±


    ¡°Did my memory really disappear and then come back? Are you pulling my leg, Captain?¡±


    Charles took a sip of soup and cleared his throat, quieting the conversation.


    After scanning each of their faces, Charles said, ¡°Everyone, let¡¯s go around and state your name and position. We¡¯ll check our memories for any inconsistencies.¡±


    The eerie island had made him overly cautious. The thought of his crew disappearing without a trace and his own memory being erased was deeply unsettling.


    ¡°Bandage, position¡­ First Mate, assisting the captain and organizing various work plans¡­ responsible for cargo stowage plans, helm from 12 to 24¡­¡±


    ¡°James, position Chief Engineer, responsible for maintaining the boiler¡¯s normal operation; also in charge of propulsion systems and additional equipment, boilers, lubrication, cooling, and fuel.¡±


    ¡°Fred, position Cook, responsible for the crew¡¯s meals.¡±


    ¡°Dip, position Bosun, responsible for guiding the sailors in the maintenance and repair of anchors, cables, and loading equipment; leading sailors in painting, rigging, and working at heights.¡±


    ¡°Water, position Able Seaman: responsible for steering, navigation watches, and daily maintenance of the deck.¡±


    ¡°Jack, position Ordinary Seaman: responsible for handling lines, deploying and retrieving gangplanks, and various deck tasks.¡±


    ¡°Anna, position Ship¡¯s Doctor, responsible for treating the crew¡¯s illnesses and conducting regular health check-ups.¡±


    After comparing these details with his memories and finding no anomalies, Charles finally relaxed. He had been overthinking it; the ordeal was finally over.

 Chapter 10: The ships Doctor, Anna

    "July 2nd, Year 8 of the time traveling.


    Exploring the island proved to be more difficult than I imagined. I thought that an uncharted place would at most have some powerful monsters, but yesterday¡¯s events taught me a lesson.


    The dangers of the island are not just tangible but also unimaginably bizarre. I never would have thought that there could be creatures that alter human memories.


    But I won¡¯t give up. No matter how difficult it is, I will see the sun again.


    Fortunately, I¡¯m not alone on this journey home¡ª¡ª"


    Just as Charles was about to continue writing, a small, pale, and soft foot landed on his back.


    ¡°I¡¯ve told you not to disturb me when I¡¯m writing in my diary,¡± Charles said matter-of-factly as he moved the foot away.


    ¡°Hmph, back in school during summer vacation, you copied my diary entries. Now that you¡¯re in this crappy place, you¡¯ve become diligent and scholarly?¡±


    Charles turned around and looked helplessly at the woman lying on the bed.


    It was Anna, the ship¡¯s doctor. Her curvaceous figure was extremely visually striking as she lay on the bed, and her mature charm could ignite endless fantasies in a man.


    But Charles was already used to this. ¡°What do you want now?¡±


    At Charles¡¯ question, Anna¡¯s smile grew brighter. She pulled at her right shoulder, causing the silk strap to dangle diagonally, and her left hand slowly slid up her pale, jade-like thigh.


    ¡°Come on~ Enjoy life~ We have~ plenty of time~~¡±


    Looking at his former partner, Charles couldn¡¯t help but smile bitterly. ¡°Can¡¯t you let me rest? We just escaped the island, and I¡¯ve been running for so long. Aren¡¯t you tired?¡±


    Anna¡¯s face instantly lengthened, and she lightly kicked Charles with her foot, complaining in a resentful tone, ¡°When we first came here, you couldn¡¯t wait to pull me into the room every chance you got. What¡¯s wrong? Are you getting the seven-year itch? Now you¡¯re starting to dislike me? You jerk!¡±


    Charles sighed softly and went over to hug her, patting her gently. ¡°Jia Jia, be understanding. There¡¯s no such thing as a field that can¡¯t be plowed, only a cow that can be worked to death.¡±


    ¡°If you don¡¯t deliver the ¡®public grain¡¯ today, don¡¯t expect to touch me this month!¡±


    As Anna complained, the oil lamp in the room slowly went out.


    The diary on the table, under the force of inertia, slowly flipped over, revealing the entry from the previous day.


    ¡°They have companions, but what about me? Why was I the only one who came here? It¡¯s really lonely being alone. I wish I had a companion.¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    The next morning, as soon as Charles woke up, he naturally leaned in to kiss Anna¡¯s smooth cheek. ¡°I¡¯m going to take the helm.¡±


    Anna, without opening her eyes, impatiently pushed Charles¡¯ face away. ¡°Go away, don¡¯t kiss me if you haven¡¯t shaved. You¡¯re too prickly.¡±


    Charles smiled inwardly and gave her another quick peck on the face before getting up and getting dressed.


    When the energetic Charles arrived at the cockpit, he saw Bandage meticulously steering the ship.


    He patted him on the shoulder. ¡°How¡¯s it going? No abnormalities?¡±


    After having been through life and death together, Charles had completely let down his guard against Bandage. If it weren¡¯t for Bandage escaping from that strange tree, he might not have been able to find the others.


    He looked mysterious, but at least he didn¡¯t seem to have any ill intentions.


    ¡°None¡­¡± Bandage had no reaction to Charles¡¯ friendly gesture.


    ¡°Alright, go get some sleep. I¡¯ll take over,¡± Charles said as he took the helm.


    Bandage, as usual, calmly performed a Fotan religious gesture towards Charles before leaving the cockpit.


    Charles steered the ship with a good mood, despite the complete darkness outside offering no scenery. He felt a rare sense of happiness and ease that he hadn¡¯t experienced in a long time.


    Suddenly, the door burst open, and Dip, with a pout, stormed in, clearly upset.


    ¡°Captain! That guy Walt is not fit for the ship! I propose we kick him off! He was in charge of the rats, and now they¡¯re gone.¡±


    ¡°It¡¯s just a bunch of rats. Is it worth arguing with a companion over this? Maybe they ran off on their own,¡± Charles said, feeling a headache coming on. As the captain, he had to deal with the crew¡¯s conflicts as well.


    ¡°Impossible! I¡¯ve looked everywhere. The rats couldn¡¯t have jumped overboard!¡±


    At that moment, the sailor named Walt also rushed in, excitedly defending himself to Charles, insisting that the rats had indeed suddenly disappeared, and it wasn¡¯t his fault.


    The two surrounded Charles, arguing loudly, until Charles finally produced the reward for this voyage to divert their attention.


    Charles thought the matter was settled, but unfortunately, something else happened¡ª¡ªthis time involving a person.


    ¡°Captain, Walt is missing!¡±


    Hearing this from his boatswain, Charles, at the helm, furrowed his brows. A crew member wasn¡¯t a rat; the ship was only so big. How could someone disappear without a trace?


    Charles ordered all crew members to search for the missing sailor, but despite turning the Rat upside down, they couldn¡¯t find him.


    The joy and relaxation from completing the mission were gone. During the six o¡¯clock meal that day, a shadow fell over everyone¡¯s faces, and they ate their food without tasting it.


    Seeing the expressions of his crew, Charles knew he had to come up with a plan as the captain. If the sailor had been dragged into the sea by something from the ocean, that would be the best-case scenario. But he feared this was just the beginning, and more crew members would disappear.


    ¡°From now on, everyone must move in pairs, even when using the restroom. And everyone must carry their firearms at all times.¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain.¡±


    ¡°Aye, Captain.¡±


    Charles, with a serious expression, face downwards ate his food. At that moment, a pale hand reached over and gently patted his arm.


    A gentle female voice sounded in his ear. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ve been through so much together. We¡¯ll be fine this time too.¡±


    Charles¡¯ anxious mood eased slightly, and he managed a forced smile for Anna sitting beside him. ¡°Don¡¯t try to comfort me. This is a minor issue. You shouldn¡¯t wander around either. Remember to stay close to me at all times.¡±


    ¡°No problem, just don¡¯t get annoyed with me.¡± Anna wiped her right index finger across Charles¡¯ face and then stuck the finger with breadcrumbs into her mouth.


    After eating a few more bites, Charles noticed Anna resting her chin in her hand, gazing intently at him.


    ¡°Why aren¡¯t you eating?¡±


    ¡°I just had some snacks. I¡¯m not hungry at all.¡±


    ¡°What snacks are there on the ship? Are you dieting again? You¡¯re not fat. It¡¯s not good for your health to starve yourself.¡±


    ¡°Alright, alright, take care of your own business, Captain. I¡¯ll find something to eat if I get hungry.¡±

 Chapter 11: Bandage’s Attack

    After finishing their meal, Charles began to patrol the Rat, ensuring everyone¡¯s safety.


    Unsure of what was causing the sailors to disappear, with the enemy hidden and themselves exposed, this was the only clumsy solution for now.


    The atmosphere on the ship returned to how it was before they arrived, with everyone on edge, trying to stay within sight of others, fearing they might vanish without a trace.


    Whether it was due to Charles¡¯ measures taking effect or the creature leaving, the next few days on the Rat were surprisingly peaceful.


    On the fourth day, Charles stood at the bow, gazing into the dark horizon.


    ¡°At most three more days, and the Rat will be back on the marked route. We should be safe then.¡±


    Estimating their return time, Charles turned to look at Anna sitting on the windlass. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go check the boiler room.¡±


    ¡°No, I¡¯m not going. I¡¯m tired of wandering around with you like an idiot. There¡¯s nothing to see in this tiny place. Go by yourself if you want.¡± Anna replied impatiently.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down. It¡¯s dangerous for you to be alone.¡± Charles went over to gently pull her arm, but she brushed him off.


    ¡°Hey, I already said I¡¯m not going. Why are you so annoying? Besides, the mummy is watching up there. What danger could there be?¡±


    Charles looked up and could clearly see Bandage at the helm through the transparent glass.


    ¡°Alright, take a rest here. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Charles opened the hatch and headed to the lowest level, the turbine room.


    As the core of the steamship¡¯s power, the turbine room was extremely hot. As soon as Charles entered, he saw the chief engineer James adding fuel with his shirt off, and beside him, the boatswain Dip, panting like a dog in the heat.


    ¡°Captain, I can¡¯t take this anymore. Let me go up. It¡¯s too hot down here,¡± Dip complained to Charles with a gloomy face.


    ¡°Endure it a bit longer for the safety of our companions.¡±


    ¡°Even if there were a man-eating monster, it wouldn¡¯t come down here. It¡¯s so hot, only a big guy like him could handle it,¡± Dip said, gesturing to James.


    Charles walked over to James and patted his sturdy shoulder. ¡°You¡¯re doing a great job. The new ship will have much better insulation.¡±


    James smiled modestly. ¡°I¡¯m used to it. Besides the heat, the work down here is easy.¡±


    ¡°When we get the new ship, you¡¯ll be too busy down here alone. You¡¯ll be the chief engineer, managing the first, second, and third engineers.¡±Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.


    To Charles¡¯ surprise, James stepped back half a step, waving his hands rapidly like a fan. ¡°No, no, no. I can¡¯t manage people. Let someone else do it. I¡¯m fine just stoking the fire, really.¡±


    Charles was about to reassure his crew with a smile when a loud explosion suddenly came from a nearby pipe. The Rat let out a groan, and everything around them instantly tilted to 75¡ã.


    Charles, stumbling to the ground, quickly realized that the sudden tilt must be due to a problem with the helm. He crawled on all fours to the communication tube and shouted into it, ¡°Bandage! Answer if you can hear me!¡±


    The only response was the sound of flesh tearing and Bandage¡¯s pained grunts.


    ¡°Damn it!¡± Charles drew his revolver from his waist and, bracing against the swaying, quickly crawled towards the stairway.


    ¡°You two, come with me! Something¡¯s happened in the cockpit!¡±


    By the time Charles rushed to the deck, he saw Anna, eyes filled with tears, rushing towards him in a panic. ¡°The mummy¡­ the mummy!!¡±


    Charles and the three of them rushed to the cockpit to find it splattered with dark red blood, turning the area into a mess.


    Bandage, who was supposed to be at the helm, lay on the ground like a rag doll mauled by a dog. Besides the numerous wounds on his body, his right leg was missing at the root.


    Charles rushed to the severely wounded Bandage, his hands hesitating for a moment before he tore the bandages from Bandage¡¯s face and placed his fingers near his nose.


    Feeling the faint breath, Charles let out a slight sigh of relief. He quickly drew the black knife from his boot and placed it in Bandage¡¯s hand, hoping the knife¡¯s healing properties would help sustain his life.


    ¡°Anna! Don¡¯t just stand there, come and stop the bleeding!¡±


    Charles¡¯ shout snapped the dazed ship¡¯s doctor out of her trance. Her eyes red, she nodded rapidly and ran towards the door. ¡°I¡­ I¡¯ll get the hemostats!¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t give up, buddy. You¡¯re going to be okay. Don¡¯t you dare give up.¡± Charles urged Bandage fervently.


    Shortly after, Anna ran back, panic-stricken. ¡°Charles, my medical kit is gone!¡±


    Charles stared at Anna for a second before responding quickly, ¡°Go to the captain¡¯s quarters. There¡¯s a cabinet at the bottom with some medications. Dip, go and gather everyone here, quickly!¡±


    After a flurry of activity, the six remaining crew members stood in the disheveled cockpit, facing the unconscious Bandage.


    All eyes, filled with anxiety, turned to Charles, seeking a sense of security. The pressure was immense, but Charles knew this was when his crew needed him the most. He couldn¡¯t afford to panic.


    ¡°Anna, did you see what attacked Bandage?¡±


    ¡°No, the ship suddenly tilted, and I fell to the ground.¡±


    ¡°That thing is still on the ship. It will strike again.¡±


    ¡°But Captain, we¡¯ve searched everywhere. There¡¯s nothing. Can it be invisible?¡± Dip asked, his face etched with worry.


    In the Sea of Thieves, monsters came in all shapes and forms. Invisibility wasn¡¯t out of the question.


    ¡°Unlikely. If it could turn invisible, it wouldn¡¯t have waited this long.¡±


    Charles knew he had to take action to protect his crew from further attacks. If they continued like this, the Rat would become a steel coffin, burying them all.


    But what could he do when faced with such unknowns?


    After pondering for a moment, Charles licked his lips and spoke, ¡°Chief Engineer, open the turbines to full. We need to get back to the Coral Islands as fast as possible, even if it means the Rat is scrapped.¡±


    ¡°Dip, you and the first mate lock all the hatches.¡±


    ¡°Fred, move all the raw food from the kitchen to the turbine room and the cockpit. Everyone stays in these two areas.¡±


    If they couldn¡¯t find the threat, they would huddle together until they reached port.


    ¡°What about using the bathroom?¡± Anna asked softly.


    Charles tapped his finger on the transparent glass in front of him, ¡°Over the side.¡±


    As the crew began to converge in the two designated areas, the atmosphere on the Rat became even more oppressive.


    In the cockpit, Dip was at the helm, Anna tended to Bandage in the hammock, and Charles sat on a stool, continuing to write in the diary.


    Aside from the sound of the pen scratching across the paper, the cabin was silent.

 Chapter 12: All A Lie

    ¡°My first mate was attacked by something and is unconscious. The situation is not optimistic. The wounds all over his body make it a miracle that he¡¯s still alive. I¡¯m not sure if he¡¯ll ever wake up.¡±


    Click. Charles capped the pen, put it back in his pocket, and sighed helplessly. He flipped through his diary nonchalantly until he reached a certain page, causing his breathing to quicken. He suddenly regretted seeing the contents of that page.


    He closed the diary and shook his head with a nervous laugh.


    ¡°See something happy?¡± Anna asked curiously from a distance.


    Charles stared at her for a few seconds, then walked over to Bandage and took the black knife from his hand, gesturing for Anna to come outside.


    ¡°Isn¡¯t it supposed to be safer to stay together? Why are we going out?¡± Anna asked as she stepped out of the cabin.


    Charles cupped her pale face and kissed her gently. Anna¡¯s eyes widened slightly, surprised.


    When Charles released her, Anna, her cheeks slightly red, playfully hit him on the chest. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you?¡±


    ¡°Jia Jia, we¡¯ve known each other since we were kids. Have you only ever liked me?¡± Charles asked, his expression calm as he leaned against the ship¡¯s wall.


    ¡°Of course, I did. I knew you were the one when you handed me a shovel in the sandbox at kindergarten.¡± Anna replied, snuggling up to him.


    Charles held her lightly, looking into the distant darkness. ¡°Jia Jia, you would make the perfect wife¡ªbeautiful, delicate, loyal.¡±


    Smiling, Anna put her hands around Charles¡¯ neck. ¡°I love hearing these sweet words. Don¡¯t stop, say more.¡±


    ¡°Do you remember the brands of lipstick you used to have?¡±


    ¡°Why do you ask that? It¡¯s been so long, how would I remember?¡±


    ¡°Yes, you wouldn¡¯t remember because I¡¯m a straight guy, and I don¡¯t keep things like that in my mind.¡±


    Charles¡¯mouth twitched, and suddenly tears streamed down his face. His left hand moved, and a revolver appeared, its dark barrel pointing at Anna¡¯s abdomen.


    ¡°Zhao Zhi Ming, what are you doing?¡± Anna¡¯s face showed a hint of displeasure.


    ¡°You even know my real name. Why are you the only one who is fake? Why?!¡± Charles¡¯ face contorted as he pulled the trigger.


    ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± The recoil from the successive shots sent Anna stumbling backward, her ink-green blood splattering everywhere.


    The woman¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief.


    Anna, trembling slightly, slowly looked down. When she saw the tentacles wriggling out of her abdomen, she collapsed, clawing at her hair as if she couldn¡¯t accept the reality.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    ¡°What is this? Why is there something in my stomach? Zhao Zhi Ming, save me!¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, her delicate face began to collapse like melting wax. A twisted, monstrous creature with yellow-green slime covering its body appeared on the deck of the Rat.


    It was like the ones on the island¡ªtwisted, terrifying, with seven or eight tentacles flailing uncontrollably, like a deformed octopus emerging from the water.


    Looking at the monster, Charles, with tears in his eyes, trembled as he held the gun. Everything in his mind about Anna was a lie.


    The next second, the monster opened its hideous mouth and roared as it charged at Charles.


    Charles rolled out of the way, his eyes quickly firming up as he reloaded the gun with practiced hands.


    ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang!¡± Green blood blossomed on the monster¡¯s body, but the injuries were not enough to stop it. With a whoosh, a tentacle covered in feelers struck Charles¡¯ hand, sending him flying.


    ¡°Why?!¡± Charles, biting his teeth, instantly drew the black knife and slashed, severing the tentacle which writhed on the deck.


    The monster roared and retreated, but Charles charged forward with the knife.


    As they reached the bow of the ship, the monster¡¯s tentacles, like fine black hairs, suddenly spread out, and the creature, like a net, enveloped Charles, trapping him tightly.


    The tentacles around him continued to tighten, and Charles could hear the lament of his own bones.


    ¡°Crack¡ª¡± Charles¡¯ ribs began to break, one, two, the intense pain causing him to grunt in agony.


    Just as everything seemed hopeless, the glass of the cockpit suddenly shattered, and a bullet pierced the monster¡¯s yellow eye, which exploded like a watermelon.


    The screaming monster immediately released Charles and fled towards the edge of the ship.


    Gunshots intensified as the others from the turbine room rushed out with firearms.


    No matter how powerful the flesh-strip monster was, it was still made of flesh and blood. Under the barrage of bullets, its bizarre body was turned into a shredded sack.


    As the gunfire ceased, the once-mighty monster lay in its own stinking blood, its tentacles trembling and moving slowly.


    Charles, holding his aching abdomen, walked towards it.


    As he raised his revolver to the creature¡¯s mouth, the flesh at the front of the monster coalesced into the face of Anna, the ship¡¯s doctor.


    Anna smiled miserably, ink-green blood sliding from the corners of her eyes. ¡°Zhao Zhi Ming, I¡¯m sorry¡­ I didn¡¯t know I was fake¡­¡±


    Those words stabbed into Charles¡¯ heart like a dagger. He preferred the monster to curse him instead.


    The others approached, their expressions heavy, standing behind Charles.


    ¡°I can¡¯t control it. I¡¯m just bait it created. It was stalling for time. Aim below the eye, that¡¯s its weak spot.¡±


    Looking at the memory of his partner, with whom he had spent every day, Charles felt the revolver in his hand weigh a thousand pounds.


    ¡°Zhao Zhi Ming! Hurry up!! It has a strong regenerative ability!¡±


    Seeing Charles hesitate, Anna turned to look at Di Pu beside her. ¡°Shorty, you do it.¡±


    As Di Pu hesitated, Charles gritted his teeth, raised his gun, and pulled the trigger.


    ¡°Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!¡±


    As the bullets hit her, Anna¡¯s face showed a tragic smile. ¡°Thank you¡­ I really wanted to go home with you¡­¡±


    As soon as she finished speaking, her face began to melt, merging with the now-motionless flesh-strip monster.


    ¡°Ha¡­ ha¡­ hahaha!!¡± Charles suddenly laughed maniacally. He rushed forward, grabbed the monster¡¯s corpse, and with all his might, threw it into the sea.


    ¡°Don¡¯t try to deceive me again!! I won¡¯t be fooled! You memory-altering monsters! It¡¯s all a lie!! All fake! Fake!!¡±


    James looked at the somewhat abnormal Charles with concern. ¡°Captain, are you okay?¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m fine, hahaha, what could happen to me? The crisis is over, the man-eating monster is dead! This is great news! Cook! Make the food good later, let¡¯s celebrate. Di Pu, take the sailors and clean this up, I¡¯m going to steer!¡±


    For the rest of the day, the crew of the Rat were cautious, afraid of provoking their captain.


    But Charles seemed perfectly normal, steering the ship, eating, just his actions were completely different from usual, excessively active.


    After eating, Charles went to his quarters. In the dark cabin, he didn¡¯t turn on the light, took out a bottle of liquor from the bottom shelf with a bitter expression, sat on the bed, and drank it down gulp by gulp.


    ¡°Anna, why did you have to eat people¡­¡±


    ¡°If you hadn¡¯t eaten my crew, I could have pretended not to know¡­¡±

 Chapter 13: Return to Port

    On the dark sea, the monster¡¯s corpse drifted with the waves. Just as it was about to sink into the abyss, a steamship, two-thirds larger than the Rat, passed by.


    A large net with barbs was thrown from the deck, easily ensnaring it.


    ¡°Boss, look what I caught! A giant squid! Look, its tentacles are still moving.¡±


    ¡°Squid? Pete, are you blind? Boss, I think it¡¯s a starfish!¡±


    ¡°Get out of the way, what¡¯s so interesting about a big octopus? Hmm, it looks tasty. Pete, take it to the kitchen and tell the cooks to prepare it well.¡±


    ¡°No problem, boss!¡±


    When Charles awoke again, his head felt like it was being pierced by needles. He relaxed his hand, and the empty bottle shattered on the ground.


    Ignoring the glass shards scattered around, Charles straightened up and walked out the door.


    The crew of the Rat breathed a sigh of relief when they saw the expressionless Charles return. This kind of captain gave them a sense of security.


    ¡°Captain, we¡¯re back on a safe course. At our current speed of 15 knots, we¡¯ll reach the port soon,¡± reported Di Pu, who was at the helm.


    ¡°How¡¯s Bandage?¡±


    ¡°His wounds are healing quickly, and he hasn¡¯t had a continuous fever. He¡¯s still unconscious, but I think he¡¯ll pull through.¡±


    Hearing this, Charles¡¯ somber mood lifted slightly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t let your guard down. I¡¯ll go see him.¡±


    Only the captain of the Rat had a private bedroom; the first mate, Bandage, lived in the crew¡¯s quarters like everyone else.


    When Charles reached the cabin, he saw Bandage slowly opening his eyes. He quickened his pace and approached.


    ¡°Don¡¯t move, lie down. Your injuries haven¡¯t healed yet,¡± Charles said, pressing down on Bandage as he tried to sit up.


    ¡°Captain¡­ Anna was a monster¡­ she was going to eat me¡­¡±


    Charles¡¯ heart ached at these words, and he managed a faint smile to reassure him. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s dead. It¡¯s all over.¡±


    ¡°Then¡­ that¡¯s good¡­¡± Bandage relaxed and lay back down.


    ¡°Rest well. We¡¯re almost home, and you¡¯ve completed your mission.¡±


    Glancing at Bandage¡¯s empty trouser leg, Charles knew hisº½º£ÉúÑÄ had ended. Even with his exceptional helming skills, no ship would take on a first mate with only one leg.


    ¡°Oh¡­¡± Bandage fell silent.


    Charles wanted to comfort him, but he wasn¡¯t good at it. In the end, he patted Bandage on the shoulder and left.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit.


    The rest of the journey was uneventful, and the Rat returned to the Coral Islands safely.


    It seemed that the Fotan believers had some sort of foresight, as Hook was waiting with a large group of followers even before the Rat entered the port.


    ¡°Captain Charles, did you get the relic?¡±


    When the golden Fotan statue was taken out of the wooden box, Hook became instantly ecstatic, dancing around before leading his followers in worship.


    ¡°Where¡¯s my money?¡±


    The excited Hook stood up quickly, trembling as he pulled out a piece of paper from his pocket.


    ¡°This is the original contract. Hurry! Give me the relic!¡±


    Charles took the paper, confirmed everything was in order, and then tossed the golden statue to Hook.


    Seeing the overjoyed Hook about to leave with the statue, Charles furrowed his brows. ¡°Hey, didn¡¯t you forget something?¡±


    James, tall and strong, carried Bandage forward.


    ¡°Assistant Priest¡­ I¡¯ve¡­ completed my mission¡­¡± the weak Bandage reported to Hook.


    As if not hearing Bandage¡¯s words, Hook¡¯s gaze fell on his leg. ¡°What happened to your leg?¡±


    ¡°It was¡­ eaten by a monster¡­¡±


    Hook jutted his chin, and two believers behind him approached Bandage, intending to bring him back.


    ¡°You¡¯ve done well, Bandage. On the next prayer day, you will have the honor of becoming a sacrifice.¡±


    ¡°Th¡­ thank you, Assistant Priest¡­¡±


    ¡°What? A sacrifice?!¡± The crew of the Rat all wore expressions of horror.


    Charles suddenly raised his hand, blocking the two believers, and stared at Hook. ¡°Is this how the Fotan Church treats its own people?¡±


    Charles didn¡¯t want to get involved in the affairs of these fanatics, but he had shared life-and-death experiences with Bandage. The slow-moving man was almost a friend, and Charles couldn¡¯t stand by and watch him be thrown to the sharks.


    ¡°Captain Charles, becoming a sacrifice within our faith is an honor.¡±


    ¡°Why don¡¯t you take this honor yourself? Bandage is my first mate, and he can¡¯t leave yet. There are things to be handed over,¡± Charles said, signaling James to retreat with Bandage.


    Hook seemed anxious, as if the statue was more important than anything else. He gave Charles a deep look and then hurried off.


    ¡°Take the cripple, Captain Charles. He¡¯s yours if you want him.¡±


    As they left the dock, Di Pu was the first to rush to Bandage, shouting.


    ¡°Mr. First Mate, what were you thinking? He was going to throw you into the sea to feed the fish, and you thanked him?!¡±


    Bandage remained silent.


    ¡°Do you know what it means to be sacrificed to the Fotan god? Why did you agree?¡± Charles asked, walking up to him.


    If Bandage spouted the Fotan doctrine, Charles was ready to send him to a mental hospital for treatment.


    ¡°I¡­ I don¡¯t know. I seem to¡­ I crave to be sacrificed. I¡¯ve forgotten many things¡­ I don¡¯t remember¡­¡± Bandage replied, unexpectedly.


    After pacing for a moment, Charles stopped and looked at the eyes hidden behind Bandage¡¯s bandages. ¡°Say no more. My new ship needs a first mate. Are you in?¡±


    Bandage was silent for a few seconds. ¡°But I have no leg¡­¡±


    ¡°Just one less, no big deal. You can still steer with a chair.¡±


    When Bandage nodded, Charles¡¯ face broke into a relieved smile.


    Having recruited his new first mate, Charles looked up at his crew and, after considering his words, spoke. ¡°I don¡¯t need to tell you that we¡¯re getting an exploration ship, much larger than the Rat!¡±


    Hearing the captain¡¯s announcement, excitement spread across everyone¡¯s faces. Not only were there benefits to exploring a new island, but the salary for the same position on an exploration ship was nearly three times that of a cargo ship.


    As for the dangers that came with such great rewards, the men who made their living at sea had never feared them.


    ¡°Captain, are we going to the shipyard now?¡± Di Pu asked, only to see his captain shake his head.


    ¡°I¡¯ll handle the ship. You have your own tasks. James, you¡¯re the new ship¡¯s engineer. Find a chief engineer and a second engineer during this time.¡±


    The muscular man looked shocked, shaking his head repeatedly. ¡°No, Captain, I can¡¯t¡­ I really¡ª¡ª¡±


    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you can¡¯t find them. There¡¯s a professional agency at the port. Just go and pick them. It¡¯s your task.¡±


    Charles didn¡¯t listen to James¡¯ explanation and turned to the eager young man. ¡°Di Pu, you¡¯re the bosun. Recruit four sailors.¡±


    Hearing that he would be in charge of so many sailors, the young man wasn¡¯t intimidated at all. Instead, he was very excited.


    ¡°Now I can manage five people! This is exciting!¡±


    ¡°Frei, with so many people, you can¡¯t handle the kitchen alone. Find a cook¡¯s assistant.¡±


    ¡°No problem, Captain.¡±

 Chapter 14: The Explorers’ Association

    The group dispersed at the port, each busy with their own tasks.


    Charles first went to the bank to deposit the 100 million Echoes into his account before rushing to the shipyard.


    His heart pounded rapidly as he hadn¡¯t felt this way in a long time, reminiscent of the excitement of confessing to a girl for the first time.


    Inside the shipyard, bustling with steel, Charles was greeted by an old man accompanied by two attendants. He was the owner of the shipyard.


    ¡°Hello, sir. What can I do for you?¡±


    ¡°I need an exploration ship.¡±


    Hearing that Charles wasn¡¯t looking for a cargo ship or a fishing boat, but an exploration ship, the old man¡¯s face showed a surprised expression.


    ¡°Sir, are you sure you want an exploration ship? Have you applied to the Explorers¡¯ Association?¡± he asked hesitantly, seeking confirmation.


    ¡°Not yet. Can¡¯t I buy a ship without applying?¡±


    Wood, sensing a hint of displeasure in the customer¡¯s tone, hurried to explain.


    ¡°No, no, of course you can. I was just confirming. After all, there are fewer and fewer people with your adventurous spirit these days.¡±


    Exploring and discovering a new island was indeed a highly profitable endeavor, but behind every successful explorer were thousands of failures.


    The advent of turbines allowed humans to venture into more unknown seas and search for new homes more efficiently. They once believed they were on the verge of conquering the ocean.


    Unfortunately, humans were not the main characters here. There were only a few islands worth exploring, while many more were extremely dangerous, with bizarre natives and deep sea mysteries that dealt them a harsh blow.


    More and more exploration ships went missing, and more people lost their husbands and children. Death finally cooled human enthusiasm. Gradually, people no longer viewed explorers as heroes but rather as fools risking their lives.


    Wood remembered that the last person to buy an exploration ship was five years ago, and that person, naturally, died at sea.


    ¡°Guest, what kind of ship do you need? Please tell me.¡±


    ¡°I don¡¯t want anything too big, no more than 70 meters in length. The engine must be a brilliant turbine, and the forward gun must be a 125mm rifled cannon.¡± Charles rattled off his requirements.


    He had prepared for too long to return home, and the configurations of various exploration ships were etched in his mind.


    The transaction proceeded quickly, and an hour later, Charles saw the exterior of his new ship.


    The streamlined white hull was neatly lined with rivets, several times thicker than the Rat¡¯s.


    The thicker chimney attested to the powerful engine within.


    At first glance, it seemed like a larger, refurbished Rat. But the large cannon on the foredeck, with its industrial beauty, immediately set it apart from a second-hand cargo ship.


    Length: 65 meters, Width: 10 meters, Draft: 5.5 metersThe tale has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    ¡°This ship was originally ordered by the governor¡¯s navy, but they aren¡¯t in a hurry. If you need it urgently, I can prioritize it for you.¡±


    ¡°This is the one. When can it be launched?¡±


    ¡°Some of the facilities you need inside the cabin aren¡¯t ready yet. If we rush, it should be ready to launch in about half a month. The total price is 3.5 million Echoes.¡±


    Charles silently calculated the amount. ¡°I have just enough in my account. If I sell the Rat as well, I¡¯ll have enough for the next expedition¡¯s supplies.¡±


    ¡°Alright, get it done as soon as possible. I¡¯ll come to pick up the ship in half a month.¡±


    After leaving the shipyard, Charles headed straight for the Explorers¡¯ Association.


    With an exploration ship, he could now join the Explorers¡¯ Association, a loose organization found on every human island. Its members were all captains of exploration ships.


    Of course, it wasn¡¯t mandatory to join, but Charles wouldn¡¯t refuse something that was beneficial to him.


    By becoming an explorer, Charles would have free access to the vast collection of sea charts within the association, which were otherwise expensive to purchase. Besides the charts, there were other advantages too. He had done his homework on this organization.


    However, being an explorer wasn¡¯t all benefits without drawbacks. Explorers were required to explore at least one island every year. Failure to meet this exploration quota would result in the loss of explorer status.


    But for Charles, this drawback was practically non-existent since he was here to explore islands anyway.


    The Explorers¡¯ Association was not far from the dock area, and its white stone building was quite eye-catching.


    Charles glanced at the ship emblem hanging above the building and stepped inside.


    The interior was large and spacious, and he could hear the echo of his own footsteps as he walked in.


    Apart from a few counters in the distance, there were only a handful of men and women scattered on the sofas to the left. The triangular hats placed on the table identified them as having the same status as Charles.


    As Charles observed them, they also curiously eyed the new face at the door.


    After quickly identifying the words above the counters, Charles headed towards the one on the far left. As he was filling out the application form with a feather pen, a pale arm wrapped around his neck.


    ¡°Click.¡± Charles¡¯ right hand moved to his waist, and the barrel of his revolver was already pressed against the belly of the person behind him.


    A slightly hoarse female voice sounded in his ear, ¡°Relax, newbie. This isn¡¯t the sea, there¡¯s no danger here.¡±


    The person released Charles¡¯ neck and pulled up a chair, sitting down beside him with her feet up.


    The newcomer was a sexy woman with bright white hair, straight long legs, and a deliberately exposed enticing curve at her chest.


    If not for her imposing height of nearly two meters, any man would want to get close to her.


    However, compared to her beauty, Charles was more interested in the wooden staff at her waist, which seemed to be her weapon. There were few women at sea, but those who survived were no ordinary individuals.


    ¡°What do you want?¡± Charles holstered his gun.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I¡¯ve seen a new face. Come and meet me. I¡¯m Elizabeth, captain of the Black Rose. Dear, what¡¯s your name?¡± the giant beauty asked with a smile.


    Charles didn¡¯t answer, focusing on filling out the application form. The harsh environment at sea had robbed him of the interest in socializing with strangers.


    But the woman next to him didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of leaving.


    A faint fragrance wafted by as Elizabeth leaned her head over, blatantly peeking at Charles¡¯ application form.


    ¡°Charles? That¡¯s a nice name. Ah, that section isn¡¯t very important, you can just fill it in casually,¡± she said.


    A burly man on the sofa in the distance laughed loudly, ¡°Elizabeth, you weren¡¯t this enthusiastic when I first came here.¡±


    Elizabeth shot him a disdainful look. ¡°Of course, you¡¯re not the same as him. I don¡¯t want to sleep with you, so why should I help you?¡±


    The burly man wasn¡¯t offended, pounding his thigh and laughing along with his companions.


    With a ¡°rip,¡± Charles punctured a hole in the application form.


    He had suspected the woman¡¯s motives were impure, but he hadn¡¯t expected this. Women who made a living at sea were indeed extraordinary.


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


    The staff member took the application form and efficiently operated the various gears of the mechanical device.


    Elizabeth didn¡¯t seem to care that the man in front of her was ignoring her, continuing to talk.


    ¡°Charles, since you¡¯re new here, let me introduce you. The role of the Explorers¡¯ Association is quite simple: to assist us in finding new islands.¡±


    ¡°Of course, it¡¯s not free. Once you join the association, any captain who becomes a governor in the future must also open an Explorers¡¯ branch on their island.¡±


    Charles cut her off, ¡°Thanks for the reminder, but I already know all this. No need to remind me.¡±


    ¡°Hmm? It seems Mr. Charles has done a lot of preparation before coming here. Are you free later? Would you like to come aboard my ship for a visit?¡± Elizabeth persisted.

 Chapter 15: The Explorers

    ¡°Thanks, I¡¯ll visit when I have the time.¡±


    As soon as Charles finished speaking, his expression turned unpleasant, not because of Elizabeth beside him, but because the hallucinations in his mind had started again.


    Charles, with a twisted expression, began to tap his forehead with his wrist, each tap heavier than the last.


    Elizabeth immediately noticed Charles¡¯ unusual behavior, her eyes widening in surprise.


    ¡°My goddess, how long have you been without rest?¡±


    She pulled out a green, jelly-like substance from her chest and handed it to him. ¡°Quick, eat this. It¡¯s effective in relieving the symptoms.¡±


    Charles hesitated for a moment before taking it and swallowing it in one gulp.


    A cool sensation slid down his throat, and although the whispering sounds were still there, the irritation dissipated.


    ¡°Thanks, what is this?¡± Charles looked at Elizabeth with a friendlier gaze.


    Elizabeth chuckled. ¡°You¡¯re welcome. I don¡¯t know what it is either, but I know it can relieve the whispers of the God Fotan. If you need more, you can dig some up on Redwood Island. Just don¡¯t eat too much, it¡¯s addictive.¡±


    Redwood Island¡­ Charles mentally noted the new place name.


    The muscular man from earlier had somehow moved behind them, and he clapped Charles on the right shoulder. ¡°Newbie, if the whispers of God Fotan are affecting you this much, you need to rest.¡±


    Charles¡¯ guard was lowered significantly. He didn¡¯t know why, but he could sense the kindness these people had towards him. It had been a long time since he had felt such obvious goodwill.


    Elizabeth glanced at the staff member who was still working and pulled Charles towards the nearby sofa.


    ¡°Come with me, I¡¯ll tell you some things that not everyone knows.¡±


    Charles was about to refuse, but the burly man wrapped an arm around his shoulders and steered him forward.


    ¡°Don¡¯t be shy. As the old saying goes, if you want to survive at sea, you need to make friends.¡±


    By the time Charles realized what was happening, he was being pushed onto the sofa, surrounded by seven or eight captains in odd costumes, all eyeing him curiously.


    Their gazes were filled with curiosity and doubt, but there was no hostility.


    Elizabeth sat down beside Charles, her soft body leaning towards him.


    ¡°Are you surprised by our enthusiasm? Well, the sea is dark enough. We¡¯re friendlier on land,¡± Elizabeth said.Unauthorized use of content: if you find this story on Amazon, report the violation.


    ¡°It is a bit unexpected. This is different from what I learned in museums,¡± Charles relaxed.


    Hearing Charles, a fat man widened his eyes and shouted loudly.


    ¡°What do those books say about us? A bunch of legal pirates? Madmen who value money over life? People who say such things should be fed to the fish!! If I ever become a governor, anyone who says such things will have their tongues cut out!!¡±


    Elizabeth glared at the fat man and then turned to Charles with a smile. ¡°This is a gathering place for explorers on Coral Island. You can exchange information here in the future.¡±


    Charles understood. This was a solon for explorer captains to communicate.


    ¡°What kind of information do you trade? Intelligence about islands?¡±


    ¡°All kinds of information: islands, routes, relics. Any useful information can be shared. Maybe someone else has a solution to a problem you can¡¯t solve. If you have any questions, feel free to ask. We¡¯ll do our best to answer them.¡±


    She had hit the nail on the head. Charles did have a question in mind.


    After a few seconds of thought, Charles asked his question. ¡°Does anyone have any clues about the Northern Land of Light?¡±


    The reaction to Charles¡¯ question was stronger than he expected. The sound of chairs scraping the floor filled the room as everyone moved away from him, as if he had some kind of plague.


    Even Elizabeth moved to the other side of the sofa, her eyebrows furrowing. ¡°You aren¡¯t one of the Sun God worshippers, are you?¡±


    Charles gave a dry laugh. ¡°I¡¯m not. I don¡¯t believe in any gods.¡±


    Elizabeth sighed in relief, patting her ample chest. ¡°That¡¯s good. You don¡¯t look like one of those fanatics.¡±


    The tense atmosphere immediately eased, and everyone started talking animatedly.


    ¡°You scared me. I don¡¯t want to deal with those fanatics. The Land of Light? Why are you asking about it?¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re asking about the legendary song, I¡¯ve heard it. Let me give you a verse: ¡®Situated on the northern island, there¡¯s a ladder leading to the light, eternal brightness and¡­¡¯ What was it? Sorry, I forgot how it goes.¡±


    ¡°How could we know about those legendary things? We¡¯re not gods.¡±


    ¡°You¡¯re quite humorous, newbie.¡±


    A hint of disappointment flashed across Charles¡¯ face. He had hoped that these experienced explorer captains might have some clues, but it seemed that having stayed in the Sea of Earth for so long, even their true homeland had become a distant legend.


    While everyone was discussing, a woman from behind the counter, holding a stack of books, walked over.


    She smiled and said, ¡°Mr. Charles, you are now a qualified explorer. Here¡¯s your certificate. Please hold on to it. Now, let me introduce you to the mission content.¡±


    As she opened the stack of books in her hands, it became apparent that they were charts filled with dense text.


    ¡°Any exploration mission that is reported to the guild will have its food, fuel, and other supplies reimbursed by the guild. The rewards vary depending on the danger level.¡±


    Charles took the charts and began to examine them closely.


    He could see that along the edges of the already explored areas, the unexplored dark regions were divided into several small sections with white lines, like slices of a cake, each with a reward amount listed.


    To Charles¡¯ surprise, the scattered islands in the unexplored seas were also marked, including the golden statue island he had previously visited.


    A pale finger reached over and pointed at the sea area. Elizabeth¡¯s sexy, magnetic voice sounded in his ear. ¡°Charles, since you¡¯re new, I advise you to explore the seas for a few years and get familiar with it before tackling the islands.¡±


    While she made a valid point, Charles disagreed. He pointed to the golden statue island and asked, ¡°What does this number mean?¡±


    The island was marked with a bright red ¡®4¡¯.


    The fat man interjected, ¡°That¡¯s the danger level. Islands that have been explored have a danger level of 0. Each time a captain doesn¡¯t return from an exploration, the danger level increases by 1. For a 4-level island like this, don¡¯t even think about it as a newbie. Explore the sea for a couple of years first.¡±


    Elizabeth glanced at him and whispered into Charles¡¯ ear, ¡°Ignore him. I think you have a lot of potential. You¡¯ll be able to explore this island in no more than a year.¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve been to this island,¡± Charles said casually, and the talking around him instantly stopped. Everyone stared at the young man in front of them with wide eyes.

 Chapter 16: The Narwhal

    ¡°What did you say?!.. You¡¯ve been to this level 4 island?!¡± The shocked fat man¡¯s voice was slightly off-key, his expression incredibly vivid.


    The other captains were equally astonished. They had just been warning him not to go to the islands and risk his life, and now he was saying he had already explored one?


    ¡°Why is there only a danger level on the island and no reward amount?¡± Charles asked his next question.


    ¡°Don¡¯t change the subject! When did you go to that island? What¡¯s there!¡±


    Charles, with a slightly furrowed brow, leaned back slightly to avoid the fat man¡¯s flying spit. ¡°The Fotan religion asked me to retrieve something from the island. Is there a problem with that? Isn¡¯t that how everyone explores islands?¡±


    Elizabeth, no longer calm, blushed slightly, looking excited.


    ¡°Charles, you might not be aware of the steps involved in exploring islands since you¡¯re new. Explorer missions are divided into many subtasks: first, exploring routes, then assessing the danger level of natives, and finally exploring and occupying the island. In the guild, each type of task has a different reward.¡±


    ¡°And you, a newbie, have somehow completed several of the initial steps. If you complete the next step of occupying the island, the entire island will be yours! You could be the next lucky one, the next governor!¡±


    So that¡¯s how it works, Charles thought to himself. No wonder the islands on the chart didn¡¯t have a reward listed. The process of exploring islands is more detailed than I thought.


    ¡°Enough of that. N¡­ Charles, what resources are on that island? Is it dangerous?¡±


    After considering for a few seconds, Charles decided that the island was worthless and shared its information with them.


    Upon hearing that the island had no food, no fresh water, and was filled with monsters that could erase human memories, everyone¡¯s faces showed disappointment.


    ¡°Oh, another dead island. I thought I was going to witness history and see the fastest governor ever.¡±


    ¡°Yeah, without fresh water, there¡¯s no point in occupying it.¡±


    ¡°If there were even a little resource, we could form an occupation fleet next.¡±


    While others were discussing the topic, Charles pointed at the northernmost level 5 island on the chart and said to the female recorder beside him, ¡°My ship will be ready to set sail in half a month. I need to explore this island.¡±


    Elizabeth opened her mouth as if to dissuade him but ultimately didn¡¯t say anything. The guy in front of her was not an ordinary newbie; his strength was hard to gauge.


    After the recorder finished registering the task, Charles looked around at the suddenly silent captains. ¡°Excuse me, gentlemen, do you know where I can get weapons?¡±


    The last expedition had taught Charles a lesson. He needed to upgrade his ship¡¯s combat capabilities; relying solely on revolvers wouldn¡¯t be enough.


    ¡°If you¡¯re looking for ordinary weapons, ask them,¡± the burly man pointed to the staff behind the counter. ¡°The guild also deals in weapons. If the price is right, they can get anything.¡±This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    The recorder beside him said helpfully, ¡°Please wait a moment, I¡¯ll bring you the weapons list.¡±


    Charles suddenly thought that the person who founded the guild was a business genius. The talk of doing it for all of humanity was just a facade; the real goal was the highly profitable arms business.


    Soon, several catalogs were placed in front of Charles. Under various types of firearms, the price of bullets was also listed considerately.


    The technological focus of the Sea of Earth seemed a bit off. Most of the firearms were outdated weapons from World War I. Whether more advanced weapons didn¡¯t exist or weren¡¯t listed was unknown.


    ¡°Charles, these things actually look good, but they¡¯re not very useful, and there are many things on the islands that bullets can¡¯t handle.¡±


    The burly man¡¯s words cooled Charles¡¯ excitement. Yes, given the various anomalies on the islands, simple violence wouldn¡¯t be of much use.


    Charles didn¡¯t think that switching his revolver for another firearm would have made any significant difference on the Golden Statue Island. Firearms couldn¡¯t prevent memory alteration.


    ¡°What do you use, then?¡± Charles asked.


    ¡°We use human lives,¡± a hoarse voice came from beside him, and the enthusiastic atmosphere among the crowd began to cool.


    The speaker was a middle-aged man with a dark complexion and a hooked nose.


    He leaned forward, staring at Charles with his grey pupils.


    ¡°I know what you¡¯re thinking. You¡¯re hoping that we, the explorers, have some secret tricks. Yes, we each have different abilities.¡± He raised one hand, and a ball of blue flame flashed briefly in his palm.


    ¡°But even with our relics and their unique abilities, the mortality rate for explorers is still shockingly high. Behind every successful governor are thousands of deaths. You were just lucky last time. Don¡¯t take it personally; reality is cruelty.¡±


    Hearing this, Charles actually felt a bit more at ease. The Sea of Earth never showed mercy to humans.


    He addressed the explorers in front of him, ¡°Gentlemen, let¡¯s talk more later when we have the time. I need to prepare the supplies for the voyage.¡±


    As Charles walked out the door, the burly man wondered aloud, ¡°What do you think he¡¯s going to do up north? Is he really looking for that ¡®Land of Light¡¯?¡±


    No one answered his question, and the hall fell into a brief silence.


    Over the next half-month, Charles was busy preparing supplies, as well as training his body and practicing his marksmanship.


    The Sea of Earth was cruel, but he wouldn¡¯t give up his beliefs.


    The days on land passed quickly, and before he knew it, it was already half a month later.


    The brand-new exploration ship sat quietly in the harbor. Its streamlined hull, the black deck cannons reflecting the lights, and the sturdy body all made Charles¡¯ eyes light up with a hint of infatuation.


    ¡°She¡¯s beautiful, isn¡¯t she?¡± Charles said with excitement and anticipation.


    ¡°Captain, what¡¯s her name? Surely you¡¯re not going to call her ¡®The Rat¡¯ again?¡± Dipp asked, standing in front of five sailors.


    Looking at the 125mm steel cannon on the foredeck, Charles pondered for a moment before saying, ¡°The Narwhal. She¡¯ll be called the Narwhal!¡±


    After naming the new ship, Charles turned to look at the new faces. The Narwhal was not like The Rat, a cargo ship that could operate with any number of crew. As an exploration ship, she was fully staffed.


    There was one boatswain, four sailors, one first mate, one second mate, one chief engineer, one first assistant engineer, one second assistant engineer, one cook, one assistant cook, and one captain, making a total of 13 crew members.


    The crew members varied in age and height, all male, including some locals with rolled-in ears.


    As Charles observed them, the crew members also looked at Charles with curiosity in their eyes.


    A ship was different from land. Once at sea, the entire ship was a closed environment, and the captain was the king of the ship, controlling the fate of everyone on board. If a captain was unreliable, he could endanger everyone on the ship.


    When they saw Charles¡¯ face, their worries eased slightly. Although the captain with black eyes was young, many recognized him as an experienced captain.


    ¡°I believe everyone knows what we¡¯re going to do on this trip. I won¡¯t lie to you. Currently, the mortality rate for exploration ships at sea is one in five. If anyone wants to back out now, it¡¯s not too late.¡±


    No one in the crowd moved. Those standing there were not first-timers at sea. They all knew the risks of this journey, as well as the potential rewards of successfully exploring a new island.


    If the captain became the governor of a new island, they, the crew, would also rise in status. Going to sea was a gamble, so why not gamble big?


    ¡°Very well, everyone aboard now!¡± Charles commanded.

 Chapter 17: The Island

    Charles and his crew boarded the Narwhal. Compared to the dilapidated Rat, the Narwhal was undoubtedly more spacious and clean, a pleasure to behold.


    He ran through each cabin, checking everything meticulously to ensure nothing was amiss. As a captain, he had to be as familiar with every part of the ship as he was with his own body.


    After confirming everything was in order, Charles returned to the cockpit and gave a slight wave of his hand. The Narwhal¡¯s chimney began to spew thick black smoke, and the ship slowly headed out to the deep sea.


    Glancing out the window at the shrinking coral island, Charles walked to the communication pipe and shouted into it, ¡°Chief Engineer, how does the new ship feel?¡±


    After a few seconds, James¡¯ hearty voice came back through the pipe, ¡°Captain, the ship is great! The steam comes out quickly! And it¡¯s not hot down here at all, just 39 degrees.¡±


    ¡°Open the turbine to maximum, let¡¯s test her speed.¡±


    ¡°Aye, Captain.¡±


    As the black smoke from the chimney began to pour out continuously, the Narwhal¡¯s speed increased. When it reached its peak, Charles, at the helm, felt as if he was driving a speedboat.


    Charles estimated that the Narwhal¡¯s speed was at least three times that of the Rat.


    At that moment, he caught a glimpse of something white on the surface of the sea out of the corner of his eye. ¡°Chief Engineer, reduce speed!¡±


    The speeding Narwhal slowed down, and Charles saw what it was¡ªa bloated corpse.


    The body, which should have been lying in the water being eaten by fish, was now standing on the surface of the sea on its two feet, staring motionless at the Narwhal.


    Charles wasn¡¯t curious about the origin of this creature; he had seen stranger things at sea. He just wanted a target for his new cannon.


    ¡°Boom!¡± The recoil from the deck gun caused the ship to shudder violently.


    Although Charles wasn¡¯t accurate with the cannon at first, after firing a dozen more shots, the bloated corpse was instantly blown apart.


    Whatever force had made it stand again, it had to lie down in the face of the cannonball.


    Charles was convinced that if he had been on this ship when he encountered the buoy monster before, the outcome would have been entirely different.


    After testing the new ship¡¯s various performance, Charles turned his attention to the sea chart on the wall.


    It was the sea chart provided by the Explorers¡¯ Association. With this and a compass, they could find their target.This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    ¡°First, follow Route 6, and when you reach Beacon 68, turn south to the destination.¡± Charles¡¯ finger slid across the chart.


    ¡°Aye, Captain!¡± the second mate at the helm responded. The red-haired man looked excited, his eyes scanning around.


    ¡°I remember your name is¡­ Knona?¡±


    ¡°Yes, Captain, that¡¯s my name, given by my mother. Captain, is it true as Fred said, that you¡¯ve explored an island before? Can the monsters really create a non-existent person in one¡¯s memory? How did you find them out?¡±


    Charles¡¯ eyebrows furrowed slightly, as if recalling something unpleasant, ¡°Just steer the ship well. Your shift will be over soon, and the first mate will take over.¡±


    Seeing his captain leave the room, Knona felt a bit puzzled, ¡°Did I ask something I shouldn¡¯t have? I had my flattery all ready.¡±


    The days at sea passed one by one, and the old and new crew members gradually meshed together. Except for Dipp, who was too young and somewhat unpopular, everyone else got along well.


    The Narwhal was fast, and in just seven days, they arrived in the vicinity of their target.


    Bright light beams swept across the dark sea, searching for the target island.


    The sea chart and compass could only locate the approximate position; the exact coordinates had to be found through a tedious process.


    Inside the cockpit, Knona looked at Charles beside him. ¡°Captain, I¡¯ve heard that some people at sea have special ways to find islands, much better than this brute force method. It¡¯s sort of like magic. Do you know how to do it?¡±


    ¡°Cut the chatter and steer the ship,¡± Charles thought his second mate was excessively talkative.


    ¡°I¡­ I have a way¡­¡± Bandage, sitting on a stool, unusually interjected.


    Seeing the two men¡¯s gaze fall on him, Bandage slowly continued, ¡°Within the church¡­ there is a¡­ ritual, to seek the help of¡­ Father Fatan. It requires¡­ a sacrifice.¡±


    Charles looked at Bandage with mixed feelings. His first mate seemed not to have completely shaken off the influence of the Fatan cult. He hoped time would reduce the brainwashing effects.


    ¡°Forget those disgusting things. We don¡¯t need them.¡±


    ¡°Captain, look! What¡¯s that!¡± Charles followed Knona¡¯s finger and saw a vague island appear in the distance. They had found it.


    The excited crew members stood on the deck, gazing at the distant island.


    Having learned from past experiences, Charles did not rush to land. He ordered the Narwhal to circle the island for observation.


    The light¡¯s brightness was limited, revealing only the perimeter of the island. It was large, and it took the Narwhal three hours to complete a circle at its speed. The island appeared barren under the lights.


    The most common sight on the island were oddly shaped rocks, some as tall as three or four stories, and others half the size of a person. They were spaced far apart, seemingly following some sort of pattern. For a moment, Charles felt as if he had arrived at a quarry.


    ¡°Can anyone live here?¡± Dipp asked hesitantly, a question no one could answer.


    Charles knew that whether or not the island was habitable, it certainly harbored some danger. This was a level 5 danger island, and five exploration ships had never returned after venturing here.


    ¡°Throw some live fish onto the shore. Let¡¯s see if there are any meat-eating creatures on the island.¡±


    At Charles¡¯ command, some sea fish were thrown onto the beach, their bodies deliberately cut to release blood, which began to spread a fishy smell. Everyone watched with anxiety.


    The fish, deprived of water, soon suffocated to death. After half an hour, Charles suddenly saw a pair of eyes light up among the rocks. ¡°Chirp chirp chirp~¡±


    With black fur, a long tail, and beady black eyes, it was a common rat.


    In full view of everyone, the rat ran to a dead fish and began to gnaw on it.


    Relieved expressions appeared on the faces of the crew. The emergence of a normal creature was good news. If a rat could survive here, perhaps humans could too.


    But before they could celebrate, more greedy eyes emerged from the rocks. Waves of rats surged towards the dead fish, and the white beach was instantly covered with black and brown fur.


    The sound of chewing on the coast rose and fell, sending shivers down the spines of those on the ship.


    ¡°These¡­ these rats are a bit too many¡­¡± Second Mate Knona said with a forced smile, looking at his captain.

 Chapter 18: The Rat

    Charles was deep in thought. Rats were typically at the bottom of the food chain, and such a large number of them on the island surely indicated the presence of other predators. He didn¡¯t know what they were, but he was certain they weren¡¯t cats.


    As Charles pondered, the rats receded like a tide, leaving not even a single fish bone on the yellow-white sand.


    ¡°Drop anchor, sailors. Arm yourselves with weapons and explosives. Prepare to disembark,¡± Charles commanded, and the crew sprang into action.


    For this expedition, he had prepared more explosives. While gunpowder might not be effective, it was better to have it than not.


    If the danger on the island was limited to those rats, the explosives would certainly come in handy.


    Two wooden boats were lowered into the sea, and everyone except the disabled Bandage, who was left to watch the ship, disembarked. They all had a strip of cloth tied around their shoulders.


    The cloth bore each crew member¡¯s name and position, ensuring that no one would silently join or disappear from the group upon their return to the ship.


    The group slowly made their way among the rocks. The experienced old crew members remained relatively calm, while the new recruits were more jittery, startling at the slightest movement.


    The rocks on the island became looser the further they went in, and the ground began to show scattered animal bones.


    A look of slight disappointment crossed Charles¡¯ face. It seemed that the passage to the surface was not here.


    As Charles hesitated about whether to continue inward, a red light suddenly flashed between the rocks in the distance.


    Charles ducked behind a large rock and whispered to the others, ¡°Put out all the fires!¡±


    Although the crew didn¡¯t understand why, they obeyed the captain¡¯s order.


    Without the torchlight, the red color in the distance became even clearer, flickering between the rocks as it moved towards them.


    As it drew nearer, everyone could see the true nature of the color.


    The creature resembled a swollen leech, estimated to be five meters long. The red light was emitted from spots beneath its semi-transparent skin, flashing on and off in a terrifying manner.


    Despite lacking wings or fins, the leech could soar freely through the air. It seemed to be searching for something, its six eye stalks at the front of its body twitching as they scanned the surroundings.


    The humans hiding behind the rocks dared not breathe, and some of the more timid even closed their eyes and trembled.


    Charles watched the eye stalks intently. Just from its appearance, he knew it wasn¡¯t a creature that favored peace. It was best not to provoke it.If you spot this narrative on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    ¡°Growl¡­¡± Someone¡¯s stomach suddenly rumbled, a small sound that nonetheless echoed like a thunderclap in the silence.


    ¡°Swish!¡± The leech¡¯s eye stalks instantly swiveled towards the humans. Its spike-covered mouthpiece emitted a terrifying low roar, and after a slight flash of its semi-transparent body, it disappeared from its spot.


    ¡°Damn! It can turn invisible. It¡¯s coming!¡±


    Charles grabbed the explosives at his waist, his body tense and his expression resolute, ready to fight the monster to the death.


    The other crew members also tightened their grip on their weapons, their hearts pounding.


    Charles counted the seconds in his mind. Just as he was about to throw the explosives, the dark environment was illuminated by red light. The leech appeared out of thin air above a rock, its eye stalks looking into the distance.


    ¡°Chirp chirp chirp!¡± The sound of rats squeaking came from that direction, growing louder, as if intentionally drawing attention.


    The leech twisted its bloated body and swiftly swam towards the noise, the red light disappearing.


    In the darkness, Charles, drenched in cold sweat, exhaled. He hadn¡¯t expected to be saved by rats.


    He turned to speak to the person next to him, only to find a pair of glowing green eyes appear to his left.


    But this was just the beginning. More and more eyes lit up, layer upon layer, sending shivers down the spines of those who saw them.


    Charles struck a match against the rock wall, and the flame illuminated their surroundings. They were surrounded by rats¡ªcountless rats stacked on top of each other like a human pyramid!


    ¡°Hello there! My name is Lili. Pleased to meet you!¡±


    The sudden female voice froze everyone¡¯s instinctive attack movements.


    After a quick assessment, Charles identified the speaker as a white rat standing among the crowd of rats. This white rat behaved completely differently from its kin, its eyes full of liveliness.


    The rat seemed to recognize Charles as their leader and hopped in front of him, looking up. ¡°Hello, I¡¯m Lili. What¡¯s your name?¡±


    Charles glanced around at the rats and replied softly, ¡°Charles.¡±


    Just as they finished their initial exchange, a roar echoed from the direction where the flying leech had disappeared.


    ¡°Oh no! Come on, come on! My friends can only hold it off for a little while. It¡¯s coming back. I¡¯ll take you to my home.¡±


    With that, the white rat led the other rats in a swift retreat.


    Seeing the red light emerging in the distance again, Charles didn¡¯t dare to linger. He hurriedly followed with his crew.


    Compared to that monster, at least these rats were capable of communication.


    In the darkness, Charles and his crew followed the rats through a series of twists and turns, eventually arriving at the entrance of a hole over a meter high.


    As they entered with torches in hand, pairs of eyes in the darkness watched the humans entering their cave, and a constant rustling sound filled the air.


    A dozen torches were lit and thrown into the air, illuminating everything. The cave, nearly the size of a football field, was filled with black and brown rats staring at them intently.


    The rats themselves were not surprising, but some of them were holding bone tools like humans, which was somewhat eerie.


    Among them were neatly arranged low domed houses, and Charles even saw a large rat teaching a young rat how to count! He felt as if he had suddenly entered Lilliput.


    The white rat somehow produced a toy-sized stool and hopped onto it, sitting down. ¡°Can you take me home? I miss my mom.¡±


    A group of rats came forward, placing bowls of brown liquid in front of each human, seemingly as a gesture of hospitality.


    Home? Charles looked around at the peculiar rat cave. ¡°Isn¡¯t this your home?¡±


    ¡°Of course not! I¡¯m not a rat! I¡¯m a human!¡± the white rat stood on the stool, bristling with indignation.


    ¡°A human?¡± The crew members widened their eyes, staring at the small rat in front of them. No matter how they looked, they couldn¡¯t see a human.


    Seeing the disbelief in Charles and his crew, the white rat Lili quickly began to explain.


    ¡°I really am a human. My parents took me on a boat to visit my grandfather on He Fang Island, but we encountered a whirlpool. I fell into the sea, and when I woke up, I was like this. I don¡¯t know why.¡±