Ashes Of Deep Sea Chapter 755

Chapter 755: Chapter 752 On the Road to Doomsday Chapter 755: Chapter 752 On the Road to Doomsday The Pope's reaction left the Truth Cleric beside him somewhat puzzled. He cautiously spoke, “…The whole world won't freeze just because the sun disappears for a long time, isn't that good news?”

“Viewed in isolation, it certainly sounds like good news,” Rune gently shook his head, “but what if we consider the power the sun is supposed to possess? What about our understanding of this world, the 'rules' things are supposed to follow?”

The middle-aged cleric frowned slightly, suddenly grasping what the Pope was worried about.

“The sun brings light and warmth. When the sun rises, the day gradually becomes warmer, and when it sets, the night gets cooler–if the sun's absence were long enough, even the Endless Sea would freeze. These are the rules of nature, as obvious as ice melting in fire. But the current situation is… it seems the cooling curve of the night has nothing to do with the sun anymore,” Rune said with a solemn expression. “Do you know what this reminds me of?”

He didn't wait for an answer from the middle-aged cleric, instead continuing after a brief pause: “A machine possessed–like a flywheel that still spins after the steam core has cooled, like a differential engine that keeps ejecting tape even after its gears have jammed. The process and outcome of things operating are becoming increasingly disconnected, some fundamental laws… are failing.”

An unsettling silence filled the temple for a moment. After a long while, the middle-aged cleric broke the quiet: “We should contact the other three arks…”

“They are already paying attention to these changes; there's probably no need for us to remind them,” Rune replied, “More importantly… has our border fleet set off?”

The middle-aged cleric nodded immediately: “Yes, they entered the veil zone an hour ago; communications have not been interrupted yet–the fleets from the other three churches have also entered the border from different directions. No casualties so far.”

Rune slowly nodded: “…What about the naval escape routes?”

“We've already set up twenty-six assembly points on the main sea routes within each sea area, with large church ships and supply vessels serving as the cores of these points. Currently, hundreds of ships that couldn't return to the City-State in time have responded to the call and are proceeding to the assembly points for refuge. As planned, these refugee ships will be guided to a 'safe distance' a three-day sail from the nearest City-State and will stay there until the night ends.”

“However, the actual efficacy of these sebased 'Night Shelter' is yet to be ascertained. We still don't know what else might change as time goes on. For now, we can only prepare for the most likely scenarios while also bracing for the worst…”

Rune listened in silence, nodding lightly.

But just then, a sudden bell tolling not far away interrupted their conversation–the bells of the ark ships rang out one after the other, unusually urgent.

Rune was startled at first but then seemed to sense something. He turned an ear to listen, and a slight smile appeared on his face: “…They're back.”

The Homeloss and the Brilliant Starship had returned–on the distant sea surface shrouded in night, the blazing green flames on the Ghost Ships were as conspicuous as lighthouses. Both ships bypassed the defensive line constructed near the shore by the church and the City-State fleets and headed straight for Light Breeze Harbor. The patrolling fleet received orders in advance and didn't dare to obstruct them.

Without any concealment or hesitation, the Homeloss and Brilliant Starship docked directly along the coast of Light Breeze Harbor's eastern shoreline, and Duncan walked into the city with great fanfare.

Nina held Sherry's hand, following behind Duncan and Morris. As they crossed the empty roads within the harbor district, she couldn't help but furrow her brows.

“…It was so lively the last time I was here…”

“Now there are only patrols and guards left,” Sherry muttered. She had draped a black cloth over her eyes to block the somewhat frightening sight of her own pair, but now she suddenly realized that she might not need to be so cautious–after entering the city, she hardly saw anyone outside, “I heard the martial law will continue for a month or two, they say.”

The City-State was still under martial law, and though it should be morning already by the clock, most of Light Breeze Harbor's citizens remained at home by order, apart from those maintaining the city's functions and other special positions. The pale golden “sunlight” from the sea's direction bathed the deserted streets in quiet, making it resemble a ghost town at dusk.

And in the other half of the city, where the “sunlight” emitted by the Luminous Geometric Body could not reach, there was only the oppressive night that was somewhat suffocating.

Yet, upon leaving the outskirts and entering the more densely populated urban area, they indeed saw the occasional passerby hurrying along the streets, and a few shops still open for business.

“There are actually stores with doors open!” Sherry said, surprised to “see” several shops along the roadside, “and people are going out…”

“You just said it yourself, the whole state of martial law is going to last for a month or two–at least the most basic order of life needs to be maintained during this time,” Morris shook his head, “I think every City-State must have developed some kind of 'life schedule' for the long night ahead, allowing people to go shopping or work during the period of martial law… Life must go on, after all.”

Listening to the conversation between Sherry and Morris, Duncan didn't join in. He merely looked up at the quiet street ahead and said casually, “I've seen enough… Ai Yi.”

A flame sparked into existence out of nowhere, and wrapped in the flames, a huge skeletal bird spun as it appeared above them, letting out a stark, piercing cry: “Who is calling the fleet?”

“Take us to 99 Crown Street,” Duncan said.

A fireball streaked across the sky of Light Breeze Harbor like a meteor, passing over the city districts illuminated by the “sunshine” of the nearby sea and flying directly toward the “Witch Mansion” located in the Upper City District.

This unsettling fireball undoubtedly attracted the attention of many–anxiety-inducing for the uninformed–yet for those who truly knew what it signified, it was a reassuring… good news.

As soon as the fireball landed, the moment the view in front of her stabilized, Lucracia saw the unexpected visitors standing at her doorstep.

There was Helena, dignified and dressed in a seblue gown, Rune with a slightly plump figure in a scholar's robe, and a bunch of unfamiliar priests and scholars–looking like attendants or assistants brought by the two Pontiffs.

They seemed to have been waiting here for a while.

“…Wow,” Nina muttered, “quite a few have come…”

“It's not too surprising,” Duncan responded quite nonchalantly.

Lucracia's first reaction was to frown; she looked at the “visitors” at her doorstep and briskly approached them, not making the slightest attempt to disguise the impatience in her expression. Before the church leaders could speak, she said, “I don't like entertaining guests–especially not this many.”

Clearly, the witch Miss Lucracia, just back from a border journey and finally at home, was not pleased with the presence of so many unexpected guests.

Rune did not take offense at the “Sea Witch's” blunt attitude at all, as if he was already well-acquainted with Miss Lucracia's character and habits. Upon hearing her, he waved his hand dismissively to the people accompanying him: “Then you all go back first.”

Helena also dismissed the accompanying priests and guards, then nodded at Lucracia, “Now, there are only two 'guests' here.”

Lucracia widened her eyes as she looked at the two Pontiffs at the door, then sighed in resignation and stepped aside, “Fine, my father is indeed willing to talk to you. Luny, open the door.”

The clockwork automaton Luny immediately passed through the crowd and went up the steps to open the door. Duncan then gave a light nod to Rune and Helena, “Let's go inside to talk.”

The bright light chased away the night, and the warmth of the fireplace dispelled the cold darkness. The mechanical automata and tin servants who remained in the mansion had cleaned the place spotlessly before their mistress returned home; now hot tea had been laid out on the table, and freshly baked pastries still radiated the warmth of the oven.

This bright, warm mansion almost made one forget the unsettling long night outside, forget the world that was falling apart.

Everyone gathered in the living room. Duncan sat casually on the sofa and nodded at Helena and Rune across from him, “I didn't expect you to personally wait here for us–I thought for people like you, leaving the 'Ark' would be a very serious and cautious matter.”

“We can't leave the Ark without sufficient reason–but meeting you as soon as possible is a 'sufficient reason,'” Helena said, “especially under the current circumstances.”

“What do you want to know now?” Duncan asked, “The current state of the world? The cause of the apocalypse? Or what will happen in the future?”

Rune and Helena exchanged a glance subconsciously.

“We want to know all of it,” Rune spoke first, breaking the silence. He adjusted his posture to lean forward slightly, his expression especially solemn, “But first, we would like to know about the events on Holy Land Island and your communication with… the creator of the world.”

“We have already received some information. It was sent by the Homeloss,” Helena added, “but I believe you know more of the truth.”

Duncan pondered for a moment and then nodded lightly.

“First of all, I have a conclusion to announce to you–this is the premise of everything.”

From Duncan's expression and tone, a heavy unease suddenly fell upon Helena, “Con…clusion?”

“Yes, a conclusion–the end of the world is determined, any form of patching up has come to its limit, at most… we can only delay it for a limited time.”

Duncan spoke calmly, his voice not loud, but each word seemed to carry a tremendous weight.

Chapter end

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