Deep Sea Embers

Sailing beyond the border?

Duncan’s heart slightly thumped, but the expression on his face remained unchanged as he replied casually: “It’s just a simple concern. No reason is needed.”

“Ah, well, you’re the captain. You have the final say,” Goathead replied immediately. Then it went quiet for several seconds before whispering as if hesitating or thinking about something, “Umm, just in case, I want to ask you a question.”

Duncan raised his eyebrows as he heard the deep, menacing voice from within the wooden sculpture: “Name?”

“Duncan Abnomar,” Duncan was expressionless as he replied. Then out of reflex, he actually chuckled at the rhetorical question, “Actually, I’m curious, what would happen if I said something else?”

It was the first time he had asked this question, and it was his darest “overstep” to date. The life he’s had on the ship, his many encounters with Goathead, and his growing understanding of his own powers and characteristics, are all the things that propelled him to take this tentative step.

Goathead fell into a long silence after this question, and it was only after a full minute before its low, hoarse voice sounded again in the captain’s room: “Then try not to tease me so much, Captain. The Vanished still needs you to steer it.”

Duncan bellowed out a laugh. As he thought, Goathead had seen through his camouflage long ago and only remained ignorant. Being the first mate that’s been with the real Captain Duncan for the past century, this wooden sculpture likely knew more about the captain than the man himself. Under those circumstances, how could a newcomer that just came out of nowhere fool someone that close?

There must be a reason for not breaking the thin sheet of ignorance, but what?

Was it a necessity?

Or a rule aboard that must be followed?

Perhaps, the Vanished merely needed a Captain Duncan, and whoever played this role no longer mattered?

Duncan didn’t bring these questions to the forefront of course. He’s just a little curious about why it would be himself and… whether the fact that he’s here was unplanned. According to the general assumption, wouldn’t it be better to find someone that’s actually cursed to be helming a cursed ship? A person like that would surely make a better candidate as the captain, and clearly, he’s not cursed.

“You still need your loyal first mate to serve you, and the Vanished still needs a great captain to steer itself. What do you think?” The voice of Goathead came from the side, sounding a little expectant and even eager.

Duncan turned his head and stared into the other party’s obsidian-bead eyes.

“Of course,” he said with a smile.

Then he stood up and walked to the door of the captain’s room: “I’m going to leave first. You take care of the ship.”

“Of course, your loyalty first mate will wait for you here. I wish you all the luck…” Goathead had returned to his bootlicking attitude as before with that cheerful tone.

Duncan had pushed the door out of the room, blocking out the words behind his back.

Here, standing on the aft of the deck, he sighed softly and swung around to read the letters inscribed on the frame of the door – Door of the Lost. A sense of calming ease filled his heart for the first time ever. He’s no longer worried about being exposed, fearing being expelled from the ship, and no longer worried about losing his life.

Reaching out, he grabbed the handle and gently pushed forward, stepping through and into the murky fog.

Back inside the captain’s room, Goathead had sensed Duncan’s departure at the same time. He didn’t make a scene, only silently sitting on the mapping table while subtle creaking sounds were coming from the ship and its items aboard.

“Oh momma, he didn’t get angry, right? He shouldn’t be angry… he definitely didn’t get angry… he shouldn’t be…” Eventually, Goathead broke the silence with a rather nervous and anxious voice.

The various subtle noises in the room became more pronounced.

“I know, I know… It’s not that I have to ask for the name three to five times per day! But isn’t this for the safety of the voyage?! What if we suddenly fall back into subspace? At least we will be prepared that way… Quit arguing, quit arguing, I’m still a mess inside… if not, you ask! If you guys won’t then quit making a ruckus… You also know it, on the entire ship, only I have a mouth…”

“The doll? You’re not sick, right? How could she know about the situation… Wait, when did you guys get so good with her? Is it because you’re all constantly fighting and bullying her too much? That’s why you guys are feeling guilty?”

“Okay, okay, everyone back to work. Focus on the voyage. Who knows when the captain will return. He may ask about the progress when he returns… Anchors, can you learn to paddle? Whipping around will somewhat provide some power. Maybe you can imitate a propeller found on those steamships? Okay, fine, pretend I didn’t say anything… If not, have both lifeboats jump down and push? OKAY! PRETEND I DIDN’T SAY ANYTHING!”

The various noises in the captain’s room gradually dissipated, and the wooden sculpture returned to its focused state of driving the ship towards Pland.

Meanwhile, on the foggy mapping chart, the city-state’s shimmering point of light was gradually getting closer and closer.

……

Zhou Ming pushed open the door of the bachelor apartment and walked back into his original world again. The window was still shrouded by fog outside, and everything remained the same as he had left it. There’s nothing out of the ordinary, only the computer screen shimmering with the prompt “network not connected” popping up repeatedly in the lower right corner.

He sighed and walked to the shelf at the end of the room.

The miniature model of the Vanished was still lying quietly in the lattice where he had last placed it.

Zhou Ming picked up the vivid “model” of the ghost ship, opened the door of the captain’s room, and peered inside.

The sailing table was still empty, and Goathead could not be seen inside.

Zhou Ming thought for a while, placing the Vanished back in its place, then turned to sit at the desk. He needed to sort out the information he had learned.

But suddenly, his gaze was drawn to something on the desk.

Strictly speaking, not “something”, but a… phenomenon.

He saw some very, very tiny flames constantly jumping on the empty table. The flames were like tiny sparks; under the outline of these faint and light green flames, some faint images were flickering in and out.

Gradually, his expression grew serious because he recognized some of the outlines portrayed by the dancing flames – that’s a neighborhood of Pland!

He could even discern some details of the coastline.

The fire was burning, and Zhou Ming remembered the order he gave to the flame when he sent it out to hunt and chase that “thing” with the black umbrella.

Now it has spread to almost all corners of the city-state.

Prey… is everywhere!?

Zhou Ming’s brows furrowed a little. He thoughtfully tracked and distinguished the trajectory of the spread, looking for the law of their gathering and the direction in which they might converge next, just like a hunter tracking the smell of his prey.