There was a slight storm on the sea.
The cold night wind blew across the sea, and the rising and falling waves hit the solid hull of the Lost Homeland. However, this huge ship still maintained a stable posture, and continued to sail north at full speed as if ignoring the wind and waves.
The translucent spirit sails were hoisted high in the night, and the occasional creaking sound of tension between the ropes and the masts was heard. The living ghost ship sighed happily in the wind and waves, but the new member on the ship seemed to be a little worried at the moment.
Vanna learned from Duncan the truth about the Frost Rebellion half a century ago, and the extremely bizarre Abyss Plan, as well as the lingering shadow of that terrible plan half a century later.
Compared to the devastating fire that Pland had encountered before, the Abyss Plan that occurred in Frost was a horrific disaster on another level - dark, cold, invisible horrors surging in the abyss. The disaster might be about to happen, might have already happened, or might even have ended, and in the cold night, no sound could describe the outline of the invisible horror.
The Black Sun incident in Plande was a blazing and dazzling war, but what happened beneath the Frost Abyss was a silent and twisted nightmare.
"According to Tyrian, the Abyss Project has ended, and all subsequent effects of the year have ended with the death of the Frost Queen. But in fact, we have no evidence to prove that the extraordinary phenomenon under the frost has really stopped working. We don't even know what it is. The whole thing is completely shrouded in a fog from beginning to end. And now Morris has received another letter from a good friend. This letter is a signal, reminding us that something wrong is happening in this northern city-state."
Duncan's deep voice rang out in the night wind. He paused for a moment and suddenly turned to look at Vanna: "Did Helena tell you about the 'strange movement' in the northern seas?"
"Your Holiness?" Vanna was stunned for a moment and shook her head gently. "She didn't say that. She only told me to board the Lost Homeland, but she didn't actually tell me what I should do specifically."
"Didn't she say...?" Duncan muttered softly, but didn't dwell on the topic. "Then don't think too much about it. Just adapt to the life on the ship. Tomorrow, I won't give you any tasks that will embarrass you."
He withdrew his gaze from afar and looked at the twinkling "stars" in the sky in front of him.
"I don't care." Duncan said casually, then waved his hand and walked away without looking back.
"Then cut the crap," he said casually, glancing down as he walked across the chart, "Where are we now? What's the situation with the Sea Mist now?"
The goat-head immediately obeyed: "Understood."
The sound of the waves roared, and Vanna watched the tall figure gradually go away. Suddenly, she seemed to remember something and shouted behind Duncan, "Captain!"
Vanna opened her mouth and finally spoke after two seconds: "I apologize to you - for my previous recklessness..."
However, he did not move or touch a cluster of stars in the distance immediately. Instead, he calmed down first, carefully observing the lights flickering in his field of vision, and sensing the breath faintly revealed in these lights.
In the captain's room, the goat-head raised its head with a creaking sound and looked at Duncan who was walking into the room. "Ah, Captain, have you finished pacifying the new crew members? Today is an incredible day. A high-ranking priest who leads the goddess of storms has become your crew member. This can also be regarded as some kind of trophy, I think..."
"Yes, Captain!"
Vanna looked at Duncan's actions curiously: "What are you doing?"
At this point she suddenly stopped, and then said firmly: "Do you mind these actions?"
Behind her, in the surging sea, the wave amulet carved by Pland was stirred up and down by the waves for a long time, until this moment it was suddenly caught by a cluster of waves and was swept into the depths of the sea in an instant.
She raised her head and glanced at the deep night and the mist over the boundless sea in the distance.
"affim
Something has really happened to Frost, and it is related to the secrets under the sea. I think Tirian will take some action. Keeping an eye on him is equivalent to keeping an eye on Frost. The conditions here are suitable, so we will lurk far away from the Sea Mist. "
After a little thought, he approached some of the light spots and cautiously touched a few of them.
At least some of it.
The dormitory door closed behind him.
"This is a wave amulet that I carved with Plande. Followers of the Storm Goddess pray in this way when they go out to sea," Duncan explained casually, "It is believed to be a favorite of the Storm Goddess. Throwing the amulet into the sea symbolizes an ancient act of sacrifice. Praying while throwing the amulet also makes it easier to establish a connection with the goddess."
"It's late at night. It's best not to be blown by too much cold wind on the deck. The sea breeze at night is not very friendly to the body and mind."
As he spoke, he fumbled around his body and took out a small piece of wood from his shirt pocket - this was a wave amulet carved by Pland. He put the amulet to his lips, whispered a few words, and then threw it hard into the sea outside the ship's side.
Duncan's eyes swept across the dazzling starlight, looking for the individuals whose light and vitality had disappeared.
After touching a few spots of light, Duncan Vanna withdrew her will.
Duncan glanced at the pigeon and said, "Walking in the spirit world."
Duncan raised his eyelids and glanced at the goat head: "Next time, say this in front of Vanna."
"Yes, Captain."
After thinking for a while, he said, "Also, after the Sea Mist stops, let's go over and take a look. Without exposing ourselves, we can investigate the location and surroundings of the secret port of Tirian. This should not be a difficult task for the Lost Homeland, which can lurk in the spirit world for a long time."
Ai's figure emerged from the darkness, and a skeleton bird wrapped in spiritual fire circled and danced around him.
Duncan looked at Vanna with some surprise—you often showed such a surprised look throughout the day—before he nodded in realization: "Oh, okay, thank you."
"Ah, of course I don't mind. I've said before that the atmosphere on the Lost Homeland is more relaxed than you think." Duncan immediately smiled and shook his head. "Morris usually prays to the God of Wisdom."
Heat, ease, fuel prices, steam availability, town hall… ..
"Don't expose yourself for now," Duncan said, "I still plan to have a warm contact with the Frost City Guards."
After a moment, a cluster of normal flickering lights suddenly caught his attention.
Duncan stopped and didn't look back: "What else?"
"Oh, of course, that's easy," Goat Head agreed immediately, "But... what do you want to do by investigating this secret port?"
"... I can't defeat him."
He once again came to this boundless chaotic and dark space filled with countless stars and lines.
As he said that, he waved to Vanna, turned around and slowly walked towards the captain's room: "I'm going back first, you should get some rest."
As soon as he finished speaking, the brass compass hanging on Ai's chest opened with a "click", and a dark green flame rose from the compass. In an instant, the scene in Vanna's vision changed!
"It's not him anymore!"
"I'm going to try to investigate the situation in the direction of Frost. If it's not necessary, please don't disturb me."
He did not directly occupy the bodies represented by these light spots, but read the deeper information behind the light spots in this way - emotions, perceptions, and even complete superficial consciousness.
I need a body with a connection to act as an outpost for gathering intelligence.
Vanna nodded and walked towards her dormitory.
"The Sea Mist is still sailing at full speed, but it has slightly adjusted its course twice recently. Judging from its position, it may be close to the secret home port of the Sea Mist Fleet," Goat Head replied immediately, "We should be able to enter the Frigid Sea before dawn, and then sail north for five to seven days to reach the Frost... ... Should we go directly there, or should we go to the distant sea and find a way out?"
Domain covert operations?"
Ai, who was resting with his eyes closed by the window, woke up with a start, fluttered his wings and jumped onto the table, tilted his head and looked at his master: "Are you going to have a quick meal or stay overnight?"
Duncan exhaled lightly, came to the table and sat down, stretching his slightly stiff shoulders and neck.
Vanna was still standing on the deck, seemingly distracted. Continuing to touch these light spots representing "living people" might cause a larger-scale panic, which might then attract the attention of the city's defenders. She didn't want to deal with the familiar church yet.
The intelligence we have obtained so far is sufficient - the information read from these few points of light alone cannot confirm that this starlight is the inhabitants of Frost.
Sure enough... ..as the Lost Homeland continued to move away from the Sea Breath Tree and approach the Frost, the starlight she saw in this space also changed!
Vanna raised her head and sensed her body on the Lost Homeland. She followed her perception and looked into the depths of the darkness, and saw a hazy light in the far distance.