Ashes Of Deep Sea Chapter 552

Chapter 552: Chapter 553: Saving People x2 Chapter 552: Chapter 553: Saving People x2 Take a trip?

Nina was stunned at first, then she understood what was going on.

She thought about the whole incident and the actions she and Sherry took before and after the appearance of the strange object that looked like “living steel,” and realized that it was perfectly normal for the Knowledge Guards to be cautious–any incident involving a Transcendent invasion must be investigated to the fullest extent to encompass all people and objects that might have been contaminated, which was an ironclad rule of the Guarders.

While on the ship, Fenna would often talk about her daily work as a Judge, which included many rules of the Guarders, and according to Uncle Duncan's usual sayings–it was these strict, almost harsh “rules” that ensured the survival of the City-State in the Deep Sea Era, and ensured most ordinary people could still live relatively peaceful days in this dangerous world.

So she nodded, then discreetly tugged at Sherry's arm beside her to prevent her from suddenly uttering any vulgarities, then looked at the Knowledge Guard in front of her, “Okay… but if we don't go back, our families will worry.”

“It's just to confirm whether you've been mentally contaminated or subconsciously influenced,” the Knowledge Guard seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and patiently explained, “This is a necessary screening and protection process. If there is no contamination, you will be allowed to leave soon.”

He paused for a moment, then added, “After we get to the Institute, you must first register your basic information, and someone will contact your families, so there's no need to worry.”

“Oh, let's go then,” Nina smiled, then turned to look at Sherry, “No problem, right?”

“What problem could there be,” Sherry muttered, “I'm kind of looking forward to it…”
Nina detected in her tone a sense of eagerness to see the fun and even a hint of schadenfreude, knowing what this guy was looking forward to, but she said nothing more and instead focused on the “lump” that had nearly ceased its activity, and asked curiously, “Do you know what this is?”

“Some sort of anomaly that has invaded the real world, but I cannot disclose the details,” the Knowledge Guard spoke with an official tone, “If after evaluation it is deemed a public affair, the Academy will announce it.”

“Oh…” Nina drew out the sound and turned around to prepare to leave with the Guarders, but before she did, she couldn't help but pause, look back one more time at the strangely shaped “lump.”

It had gradually become still, and even the last twitching and trembling had stopped, a rocky texture spreading slowly over its completely solidified, iron-grey exterior.

…
At 99 Crown Street, within the “mysterious residence” with its towering spires and lush gardens, Duncan and Lucracia were casually chatting about the many things that had happened in Frost lately, and Maurice curiously interacted with the clockwork puppet Luny nearby, seemingly intrigued by the latter's driving mechanism, while Fenna was not in the living room–now was her time for daily prayers, and Lucracia had prepared a “prayer room” especially for this devout Storm saint.

“… When I left, order had been restored in Frost City, but it will take quite an effort to clean up the pollution left by the Prime Element,” Duncan spoke of the Northern situation to Lucracia, “I hear Teyran's overtime arrangements have been scheduled through the next quarter…”
“After frolicking as a pirate in the Chill Sea for half a century, now I have to make up for the debts incurred during my lazy phase,” Lucracia said sentimentally, “By the way, have you ever been to the frozen sea area further north of Frost?”

“I haven't,” Duncan shook his head, “I've only heard that there are endless ice plains there, the ice extends all the way into the dense fog at the border. I am curious about it, but the events at Light Breeze Harbor concern me more.”

“They say that within certain ice layers in the frozen sea area north of Frost, there are even relics left by explorers from The Dark Age and Old City-States, and some have tried to cross those ice layers to explore the fog, only to be devoured by the sudden extreme cold… Comparatively, I think the warmer southern seas might be a better breakthrough point for challenging the 'frontier'…”
“If I get the chance, I really would like to see that border… Don't worry, I'm aware of the dangers of that dense fog, I'm just very curious…”
“Just make sure you don't rush into the fog again.”

The reunited “father-daughter” pair chatted intermittently, discussing the recent happenings, the myriad of incredible phenomena over the Endless Sea, and the fog at the border and those dangerous realms far removed from the civilized world.

Their topics couldn't always continue, and Lucracia was not a person adept at chatting, but it was incredible how they had already talked for such a long time.

However, Duncan suddenly stopped.

He seemed to “hear” something, his brows furrowed slightly, and after a brief moment of focused sensing, he looked in a certain direction outside the window.

Lucracia immediately noticed her father's unusual behavior, “What's happened?”

“Nina is calling for me,” Duncan said, his expression somewhat odd as he looked back at Lucracia, “… Which way is the Academy?”

“The Academy?” Lucracia was instantly baffled, “What are you going to the Academy for?”

“To fetch someone.”

Lucracia: “…?”

…
“Name?”

“Nina.” Nina hesitated before choosing not to reveal her current “surname.”

The registrar across the table didn't seem to care much, continuing just as a matter of routine, “Age?”

“17 years old.”

“Occupation?”

“Still in high school…”

“Are you a native of Frost?”

“No, I'm from the City-State, here in Frost for tourism, staying temporarily with… relatives.”

The registrar was recording these basic details one by one. Hearing the girl opposite to him honestly answering the series of questions, he smiled, lifting his head with a gentle tone to soothe her, “Don't be nervous, young lady, this is just some routine registration. You haven't done anything wrong; you've just accidentally gotten involved in a Transcendent incident. This registration is for your protection–don't be afraid.”

“I'm not afraid,” said Nina obediently, before giving the registrar across from her an embarrassed glance, “It's just that I hope you won't get scared later on.”

“Me? Why should I be scared?” The registrar was taken aback and, unable to help a wry smile, waved his hand dismissively, thinking the young lady's words were just nervous babble, not to be taken seriously, “Ah, if only your companion could be as well-mannered.”

Nina was momentarily stunned, pricking up her ears to the noises coming from the next room, and sure enough, she heard some distinctly Sherry-like *profane language*.

However, it didn't sound like wild cursing but rather like the use of dirty words as a form of self-expression, similar to when someone casually inserts highly maternal language into a conversation–in Sherry's own words, they were just “verbal punctuation.”

So, Nina relaxed a little and, with an embarrassed smile, said, “She's actually being quite restrained right now.”

“No worries, we've seen all sorts here, especially those who have come into contact with Transcendent powers. It's normal for them to be mentally unstable or even destructive. We're used to it,” the registrar said unconcernedly, waving his hand, “It's just a bit surprising, seeing a girl who seems so well-behaved…”

Nina recalled Sherry as she had been in front of Uncle Duncan and thought that, from a certain perspective, the registrar's first impression wasn't entirely off…

After a short while, she curiously asked, “When can we go back?”

The registrar, wearing a ceremonial robe from the Academy of Truth, turned his head and glanced at the incense and the quietly burning candle on the table beside him.

“You'll have to wait until the incense has burned out and the candle flame has extinguished naturally. If there's no reaction from all of the catalysts, then you'll be free to leave.”

“Oh,” Nina nodded, then, after a few quiet minutes, she asked again, “What about that 'thing' that appeared in the market earlier? Has it been captured?”

“Sorry, no comment,” the registrar shook his head, then added as a reminder, “I suggest you stop following up on it and try to avoid recalling it, because some 'alien entities' that invade the real world can create a parasitic effect in the minds of witnesses. Although we haven't found you or your companion to be contaminated yet, frequent recollection and excessive curiosity can still attract unwanted effects.”

“Oh.” Nina nodded again and finally quieted down, seemingly patiently waiting for the incense to burn out and for the “inspection” to be over.

The young registrar sitting opposite her silently breathed a sigh of relief. While organizing the forms he had just recorded, he adjusted his posture and withdrew his hand from a secret compartment under the table.

In his hand was a small device resembling a pocket watch.

Hidden by the tabletop, he flicked open the cover of the device; when the “lid” softly popped open, what appeared beneath wasn't a set of hands and dial, but a surface that looked like mercury–this layer of “mercury” gently undulated as if it were a living thing.

He cautiously tilted the “mercury” surface towards the girl across the table and carefully observed the changes on the silvery liquid.

This girl named Nina seemed mentally normal, spoke clearly, and was even quite cultured, but this alone couldn't alleviate the concerns of a professional clergyman–because often, people who have been spiritually contaminated can still appear “mentally clear” for a short time. If not carefully screened, the pollution could surreptitiously spread.

According to reports from the field team, this girl and her companion had approached a patrolling Keeper of Knowledge seconds before the “invading entity” appeared and had engaged in many illogical actions during the event–all these anomalies undoubtedly required careful scrutiny.

However, the mercury surface didn't show any abnormal shadows.

The “registrar” furrowed his brows and brought the device closer to his eyes to examine the minute fluctuations between the rises and falls of the liquid.

Suddenly, it seemed he truly saw something within the gently rippling mercury–
It was strands of golden brilliance.

It was converging flames.

It was an enigmatic and immense power, ancient lost knowledge, a grandeur of light and heat from time immemorial, the essence of all things…

A roaring sound rose in his mind, a storm of knowledge assaulting the boundaries of reason, a longing for the truth that seemed to seize his mind. The soul of a mortal craving the gravity of the sun, he abruptly widened his eyes, fixated on what was about to engulf him–
A hand suddenly extended from the side, blocking his vision.

“Stop looking if it's nothing,” a deep, authoritative voice entered his ears, “Everyone knows it's not right, yet you keep staring. What's wrong with you people from the Academy of Truth?”

(Resign all fantasies, brace for the sunshine… But rest assured, I'm feeling alright, so there won't be an interruption in updates.)

Chapter end

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