Shrouded Seascape

"Come on, hurry up! Deal or no deal? Captain's about to set sail again, and I ain't got the time to prolong this with you. Just tell me how much Echo you want in exchange," Dipp grumbled, his voice tainted with apparent annoyance as he fidgeted restlessly on a couch in the tent of the Explorers Association.

"I told you; I'm trading, not selling. What good is Echo in this place? I only want to trade for relics that can enhance my strength," the burly man with a bushy beard retorted. He was seated opposite Dipp with his arms crossed and an indifferent expression on his face.

A wild beast's skull, covered in a layer of hide, was on the table between them. The bone was stained an eerie red.

Dipp's brows frowned in response to the burly man's answer. He pondered for a moment before gritting his teeth. He then pulled out a row of black, long needles from his coat and slammed them on the table.

"We found these on the surface in the previous exploration. They are extremely sharp and can easily slice through anything. The only side effect is that they triple the sensation of the pain incurred on you, but that's a small price to pay for what they can do. I think it's a fair deal for your relic."

The burly man shook his head. The skull tattoo on his face moved as he parted his lips and said, "No deal. Your relic is too weak compared to me. Besides, it's not even the type of relic I'm looking for."

A market would naturally be formed when there was demand and supply. Here at the Colossal Hole Fortress, explorers had naturally gathered to form a little marketplace where they exchanged intelligence, recruited new crew members, and bartered relics.

Most of the relics had been gathered by the Association and brought up to the surface to show their support for the exploration. They had truly put their words into action.

"Hey, I'm one of Governor Charles' crew; can't you just sell it to me?" Dipp lamented. He eyed the relic with an intense desire in his gaze.

"Hmph. What's the big deal about Charles? Do you think everyone is eager to kiss up to your governor just for a few islands? I wouldn't be risking my life here if it wasn't for my own survival," the burly man scoffed dismissively.

"Fucker! I dare you to say that again!" In a burst of rage, Dipp slammed his right foot onto the table, and a faint blue glow surrounded his form.

The sound of bullets being chambered and blades being unsheathed filled the air as a group of fierce-looking individuals quickly surrounded them.

A disdainful sneer surfaced on Dipp's face. "Don't call me a bully, but do you really want to mess with one of Governor Charles' men in this place?"

"You seem like a seafarer yourself. So are we playing by the rules at sea, or that ashore?"

Half an hour later...

Charles was inside the bridge of the Narwhale and studying the replicated map of the surface world; he was contemplating his next exploration area.

It was a tough choice as there weren't any leads. Choosing any direction would yield the same probability. It was purely a luck game now.

Click.

The door to the bridge swung open just then. Dipp walked in with a bruised face and a red beast skull covered with hide clutched in one hand.

"Captain, I managed to secure a relic by chance. It has an impressive ability. Wanna give it a try?"

Charles looked up and immediately noticed a few missing scales on Dipp's face.

"What happened? You know the situation; try not to create trouble."

"Nothing much, Captain. Just a minor issue, but it's all settled now.

"This relic is one of the few functional ones found on the surface, and it's formidable. The wearer can touch any soul, and with a mere flick of the wrist, you can claim another's life," Dipp explained as he handed over the hide-covered beast skull to Charles.

Charles accepted it and examined it briefly before tossing it back to Dipp. "Keep it for yourself. I'm not lacking in any offensive relics. Go check on our supplies; it's time to set sail."

Charles' gaze then returned to the map on the table and focused on the 11 o'clock direction. The remains of the Light God were located in that direction. Without any leads, the best course of action would be to center their search around that.

Half an hour later, the Narwhale, spanning over sixty meters long, moved slowly under the watchful eyes of everyone at the Colossal Hole Fortress.

With this steel stronghold, the crew could sleep more peacefully, at the very least. They were reassured that if they were to encounter the monster that killed Conor, they would have better protection against it and wouldn't be as helpless as before. Plus, the exploration duration of the Narwhale was far beyond what any car could offer.

***

"There he goes again... Does that guy really plan to stay up there until he finds the darkness?" Anna sighed helplessly within the Governor's Mansion on Hope Island as she read the telegram message in her hand.

"That's just how Mr. Charles is. He's doing it for the benefit of everyone," Gordon replied with a flattering smile as he stood behind Anna.

Anna interlaced her fingers and stretched lazily. "Enough about him. How's the construction of the factory on Annarles Island coming along?"

"With the Subterra Railways boosting transport efficiency, our progress has sped up significantly. The airship and ship retrofit factories are working overtime. Our workers are operating in three shifts and everything is proceeding according to your Phase I timeline," Gordon reported.

"And what about the Relic Research Institute? Why do we have fewer new creations this month compared to the last?"

A shudder coursed through Gordon as he hurriedly bowed and explained, "We are running out of experimental subjects for the relics. Several have died recently, and we've hit a bottleneck. We also need a greater diversity of experimental subjects to be used as catalysts."

"Then what are we waiting for? Use the ritual and create more experimental subjects," Anna instructed matter-of-factly.

"But Governor... The problem is that we're running out of death row inmates. Hope Island doesn't have that many of them."

"If there aren't any on the death row, do you not have any common prisoners?" Anna retorted bluntly.

Gordon looked up, his eyes widened in surprise. "Governor... if Governor Charles finds out about this order..."

"Considering our circumstances, does that still matter? Don't worry; just do as I say. I know that guy's temperament; he is no saint. Also, this is all for saving the Subterranean World."

"Yes... Governor," Gordon replied with a slight hesitation in his voice as he slowly made his exit.

"Oh, and have Leonardo come over. I need to discuss with him about the acting governor candidate for Annarles Island and Skywater Island."

"Certainly."

After Gordon closed the door behind him, Anna was left all alone in the room. Hidden between the bookshelf and a cabinet behind her was a small mouse hole that was barely noticeable.

A few mice with an iron ring on their tails sat quietly within as they listened intently. As soon as the noises outside had completely ceased, they fought to squeeze out of the mouse hole.

The corners of Anna's lips curved upward into a faint smile. She turned around and gently gestured toward the mice.

The mice scurried out and surrounded her with persistent squeaks, their tiny eyes filled with overflowing affection.

"Good boys and girls. Thank you for your efforts. Off you go, keep an eye on those restless ones. Report back to me immediately if you gain any news," Anna instructed softly.

The mice let out a collective squeak before dashing back into their hole.

"Such clever little creatures," Anna muttered as she watched them disappear from sight. "It's a pity Charles doesn't know how to make better use of them. They can do much more than just surveillance."

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