Shrouded Seascape

"We're saying three years, but we actually have only two years at most. If we wait until the islands are submerged, it'll be too late for us by then even if we retrieve the darkness," Charles said, his brows slightly furrowed as he stared at Harold before him.

"Yes, you're right. And that is the reason we're working together. By the way, I heard that a clue about the darkness has been found. How's it going? Is there any progress toward that clue?" Harold asked.

"We should go to the Explorers Association and talk about that there. The association has maps that will allow you to see what has been going on without any bias," Charles responded.

Harold nodded and followed closely behind Charles as they headed to the Explorers Association. As always, the Explorers Association was bustling with many people going to and fro.

The majority of the exploration captains here were turning in their mission findings. There were so many people that the din inside the hall was reminiscent of a market's din.

The surface map was hanging on the wall, and the map had expanded significantly. There were many different icons on the map, and there were plenty of them on the west side of the map, marking out dangerous areas for future explorers.

"Do you see this?" Charles said, pointing at the map with his chin raised. "The fastest exploration team has explored close to five hundred kilometers of land. We're progressing rapidly overall."

"What are those red arrows?"

"Each red arrow represents an explorer who has yet to return. This map was only made possible due to the sacrifice of the explorers."

Harold nodded with satisfaction and said, "I finally know where the people and the resources that we have invested have gone. Life is getting harder and harder down below, and the people's survival there is tied to our success on the surface."

Charles' expression was solemn as he stared intently at the map before him. "Every sacrifice for the greater good is worth it. This is our only hope."

After pondering for a moment, Harold asked Charles again, "By the way, when do you plan on setting off again? If you have some time until then, some people from the Western Seas have been wanting to see you."

Charles looked around vigilantly and saw explorers in various attires walking past him. "We should not talk about that here. There's no way the Fhtagn Covenant has given up yet."

"Indeed," Harold said, nodding. "Caution is necessary after what happened."

"We should go to a private room," Charles said. He led Harold to the counter next to them and walked into the heavily guarded private room. The higher-ups of the Explorers Association often discussed serious matters in this private room.

"Actually, I did find something. I'm planning on searching in that direction next time. My passage plan isn't on the map, as I don't want any third party knowing my next move," Charles said, sitting down on the sofa in the private room.

"Did you really find a clue about the darkness?" Harold asked, looking extremely nervous.

Charles glanced at Harold before looking down and taking out a photo from his pocket. "Perhaps we've found a witness to the Light God's death."

Harold reached out to grab the photo with his wrinkled right hand. The place shown in the photo looked like a semi-desert region and appeared to be not too different from the semi-desert of the Colossal Hole Fortress.

However, there was one distinct difference between the semi-desert region where the Colossal Hole Fortress was located and the semi-desert region shown in the photo—the latter was full of pits and holes, and there were two tracked treads that seemed to have been left behind by a gargantuan plow.

The tracked treads extended way beyond the end photo as well.

"What is this?" Harold asked in surprise.

"You're staring at the traces that 068 had left behind. The Light God had decided to bring 068 with Him while He was in the process of recreating His body. Judging from the traces that it had left behind, it has started on a brand-new journey."

Charles hadn't forgotten about 068; the city made out of the Foundation's relics. The people there had to know something. It would be perfect if they managed to discover the identity of the Light God's murderer through those entities.

"Do you really have to go there by yourself? How about you send people there instead?" Harold asked.

Charles was quiet. He had no idea how to explain to Harold the fact that 068 was a computer and that he knew the people there the best.

"The Explorers Association has already sent some people there, but that place isn't as simple as you think. I think it's better for me to go there in person. I've dealt with them once, after all."

The wrinkles on Harold's face rose as he revealed a smile, saying, "Very well. It's great that we now have a clue. Go ahead on your journey with peace of mind, and leave this place to me."

"Mmhm, I'll tell the person in charge of the Colossal Hole Fortress to help you settle in. In the meantime, your people must acclimatize to life in the fortress as soon as possible. I've heard about how the people of the Western Seas' have many customs that they follow, but I hope that all of you can restrain yourselves here. We're not on a sightseeing tour, after all."

"Of course, of course," Harold said, handing the photo back to Charles. "We are going to restrain ourselves. After all, saving the Subterranean Sea is our top priority."

Soon, Harold and Charles walked out of the private room again. After handling a few affairs, Charles left three days later at dawn.

Having learned from his mistake, Charles' trip became top secret. No one knew in which direction they'd set off except for the higher-ups of the Explorers Association.

The surface world's semi-desert biome was overwhelmingly vast. Without specific coordinates, it was impossible for anyone to reach a certain destination. Two bats circled the vessel, patrolling in mid-air to prevent any ambushes.

Charles was in the Captain's Quarters and was staring at the map on the wall, which had a line representing the distance between the Colossal Hole Fortress and 068's traces.

Charles proceeded to draw a duplicate of the map before standing up to patrol his vessel. Before he could leave, a tentacle covered in black scales stretched out from behind him and wrapped around his neck gently.

Charles caught a whiff of a familiar fragrance, and he instantly discovered whose tentacle had wrapped around his neck. He lowered his head to kiss the tentacle before asking, "Why are you here? Is something wrong?"

"I was just missing you." Anna's soft figure slipped into Charles' arms from the side. She wasn't wearing anything at all. There was a tacit understanding between their lips and tongues; Charles enjoyed the rare moment of pleasure and vented his accumulated stress.

Since his journey on the surface world started, Charles barely had any time to be alone with his wife, as the two of them were pretty busy with their own affairs.

After an extended moment of deeper intimacy, Anna laid her head on Charles' chest and listened to his softening breaths.

"What are you thinking right now?" Anna asked.

"I'm thinking about how to preserve this moment forever. I really don't want to think about the darkness that has disappeared nor of the Fhtagn Covenant that wants to take revenge on me," Charles replied, stroking Anna's smooth and delicate back gently with his hands.

"You're not a robot, nor are you made of iron. You should rest when you're tired."

Charles shook his head slightly, and he hugged Anna tighter with clenched fists.

"I was just thinking out loud. Now isn't the time to rest. Time is not on our side, after all," Charles remarked.

Anna stroked the bandages on Charles' face. The next moment, her sharp nails tore the bandages open, revealing Charles' blood-red skull and the intermingled flesh and blood underneath.

"Look at what you've become. If there were a young Charles imitation contest, you wouldn't even pass the qualifying round."

The source of this c𝓸ntent is fr𝒆e(w)𝒆bnovel