Ashes Of Deep Sea Chapter 788

Chapter 788: Chapter 785 News from the North Chapter 788: Chapter 785 News from the North It is said that in the distant and frigid Chill Sea, an organization known as the “Northern City-State Alliance” was taking shape under the cover of night.

The legendary “Iron Marshal” led his Undead army to dominate the night, taking control of the situation before the tensions caused by the scarcity of sunlight among the City-States could reach a breaking point. Cold Harbor and Morpheus Port were initial supporters, and under the witness of the Sea Mist, a pact was made–
Now, a mighty united fleet had been established that protected these sunlight-deprived City-States through the increasingly dangerous and twisted nights, while the “Solar Fragment Distribution Committee,” jointly established by the various City-States and churches, was closely monitoring the Sun Shards that had fallen into the sea, ensuring that these remnants of the apocalypse could promptly light up the darkest places during the long nights.

Heidi put down the newspaper in her hand and looked up at her mother sitting beside the candlestick–the city's generator had been fixed, and now, the bright electric lights once again illuminated the living room. But her mother still insisted on placing a candlestick in the living room, ensuring that there was at least one candle lit at all times.

“Currently, no City-State in the north is allowed to possess a Sun Shard for an extended period”, Heidi remarked with information from her previous visit to the city hall, “The Solar Fragment Distribution Committee rotates the Shards among the City-States to prevent mutations from developing in areas that remain in darkness for too long. So now, the northern City-States are actually taking turns 'having daylight'. The large engineering vessels that tow the Sun Shards cruise the Chill Sea, with those 'little suns' maintaining the safety of each City-State…”

She paused for a moment, then continued, “Moreover, this restarts the previously halted sea transport between City-States–cargo ships can set out alongside those engineering vessels towing the Sun Shards. Although the overall efficiency is lower than before, at least the logistics among the City-States have resumed…”

She stopped, thought for a moment, and couldn't help but exclaim from the bottom of her heart, “It's really impressive… It seems the 'Iron Marshal' is not like some rumors suggest, a 'King of the Undead' who enforces a reign of terror…”

“Rumors are rarely trustworthy. Don't forget, the Homeloss is still at the edge of the world searching for hope for us”, said her mother, smiling slightly as she worked on her needlecraft, “Was that what you heard at the city hall?”

“The newspaper doesn't have that much detail,” Heidi pointed at the newspaper on the table, “I heard it from people in the secretary's office–the details about the Northern City-State Alliance and the Solar Fragment Distribution Committee aren't publicized in the newspapers, but they're not exactly secrets either.”

After pondering for a moment, her mother began to speak slowly, “Is that so… Then it seems we will soon have our own City-State Alliance and Solar Fragment Distribution Committee.”

Heidi was taken aback as she seemingly hadn't considered this much.

“It's a good way to survive. Nowadays, as long as something can aid in survival through the night, it will get the City-States' leaders into action. If these messages have reached your ears, then it shows that the matter has already progressed at least halfway among the Governors”, her mother casually mentioned, her tone carrying a hint of reassurance, “The City-States in the north have set a good precedent… The 'Iron Marshal' has shown us a viable path, and as the news spreads, other City-States across the seas must consider this plan publicly, regardless of their private thoughts.”

“… What if the City-States that have already obtained Sun Shards don't want to cooperate?” Heidi understood her mother's point but couldn't help feeling a bit worried, “After all… not everyone is so selflessly public-spirited.”

Her mother thought for a moment, then asked an apparently unrelated question, “I heard that the church's fleet docked two days ago at the military harbor west of Prandt, didn't they?”

“Yes, the Deep Sea Church's 'Abyss' and the Academy of Truth's 'Logicos' along with their respective escort fleets,” Heidi nodded, “They said they were stopping by during their patrol for maritime security.”

“That's right, Heidi,” her mother nodded, a doting smile on her face, “Guess why the 'Iron Marshal's' first step in establishing the City-State Alliance was to build a united fleet under his own control?”

A glimmer of realization finally shone on Heidi's face–she was a respected psychiatrist and distinguished scholar at the Academy of Truth, but obviously a bit slow to react outside of her area of expertise. Even so, she now understood.

“Heidi, we should celebrate. After such a long time in darkness, it finally seems like good things are about to happen,” her mother said with a smile, slowly rising to head into the kitchen, “I'll cook up some of my signature dishes, and you get one of your father's cherished bottles of wine from his collection–we'll open one, and he won't mind.”

“Oh… Oh,” Heidi responded reflexively, standing up, but then suddenly remembered something, “Ah, but father has quit drinking, he gave away his wine collection…”

“The basement, next to the white shelf, there's a wooden box that appears to have only one layer, but if you pull out the protruding wooden block on the side, there's a hidden compartment,” her mother explained nonchalantly, “Also, at the very back of the basement, behind the storage rack, there's a bench with five bottles of wine inside, you can pick one to bring up.”

Heidi was speechless: “…”

Her mother turned around before entering the kitchen, her face beaming with a victor's expression, “How could I not know him?”

Aboard the Homeloss, Morris suddenly felt a chill seize his heart, although there was barely any wind on this calm sea. He felt as though this cold breeze was piercing through the oil pump and the miniature steam core in his forged body.

“What's the matter?” Fenna, noticing some noise coming from within Morris, asked curiously.

“Strange… This body should not feel cold, but why do I feel a chill in my heart?” Morris muttered, wiping his pipe, “It feels like something I cherished has suddenly vanished, or that something kept in a bank's safe deposit box was taken by someone…”

The old scholar's words were cut short as the captain's voice came from behind him, “Your way of describing this reminds me of an old man… His good stuff was stolen by a monkey.”

Maurice turned around and saw Duncan standing in front of him with a subtle expression on his face.

“I've never heard of this story,” the old scholar's face was somewhat blank, “What is a 'monkey'?”

Duncan thought for a moment, “…An animal. Just think of it as something that lives in Subspace.”

Maurice immediately looked awestruck and did not pursue the matter further–meanwhile, Fenna, who had been seriously analyzing the original topic, suddenly looked very solemnly at the old scholar, “Could it be a warning from the God of Wisdom to you? Have you prophesied something that is about to happen?”

“That's unlikely, it's not that serious,” Maurice hurriedly waved his hands, “If it were a revelation sent by the Lord Himself, it wouldn't just be a chill in my heart–it's probably just my wife finding my hidden stash of booze again, no big issue.”

“Oh,” Fenna nodded, her interest in the issue waning quickly as she turned her attention to the captain, “Captain, when are we leaving this sea area?”

As they turned to business, Duncan's expression immediately became serious.

He raised his head to look at the distant black island where the huge palace stood, as well as the silhouette of the Leviathan remains surrounding the island through the mist. He then reached into his pocket–the slightly cool metal touch came from his fingertips.

It was the “second key” used to wind up the automaton.

“We're going to stay here for another half day; I need to study the 'route' that Gomona gave to me,” he said with grave seriousness, “Before I 'return,' pay close attention to the movements inside and outside of the ship, especially any changes in the sea nearby–if there are changes, record them.”

Maurice nodded immediately, “Understood, Captain.”

Duncan turned and left the deck.

The scene quieted down for a while, and Fenna turned her gaze to the black islands of varying sizes in the distance, falling silent for a long time.

“What are you thinking about?” Maurice asked beside her.

“…Ever since I was very young, I would often hear the sound of the waves in my dreams, where the broken waves gently lapped against the rocks,” Fenna spoke softly, “And after completing my studies at the Church, I learned how to pray; in prayers, too, I could always hear the sound of those waves… The 'Storm Scripture' says that it is the sound transmitted from the kingdom of God.”

She paused, then after a moment of silence, raised her hand and pointed towards the quiet, desolate sea surface in the distance, “But listen–you can't actually hear the sound of the waves here; the sea is so calm, eerily still, as if dead. Only when the ship is sailing do the waters make any sound.”

The gentle sound of the waves echoed in her mind as if soothing something.

“These are the sounds from His memory,” Fenna said softly after a moment of silence, “He says He hasn't seen the undulating sea for many, many years–He's even almost forgotten what it looks like when the wind whips up the spray.”

Maurice said nothing, just slowly stuffed the unlit pipe into his mouth, staying calmly beside Fenna.

…
Inside the captain's cabin, Alice curiously looked at the uniquely shaped brass key.

“I have a new key, look!” She said with a surprised look, seemingly quite pleased. She turned the key over after taking it from Duncan's hand, examining it, “The handle construction is different, huh? The previous one was a lying 8, this one is a circle pierced by an arrow? What does this circle mean?”

“It probably refers to the 'Outer Barrier' that encircles the Endless Sea,” Duncan said off-handedly, then looked somewhat helplessly at the carefree automaton in front of him, “Can't you be a bit more anxious? No one knows what will happen when this key is turned.”

Alice tilted her head, thought hard for a moment, and felt that she probably should be anxious.

“It seems…yeah,” she scratched her head, her tone a bit uncertain, “I am a little nervous, but no matter what happens, you're sure to handle it, right?”

Caught off guard, Duncan sighed helplessly, then laughed.

“Yes,” he picked up the new key and nodded gently to the automaton lady, “Leave it to me.”

Chapter end

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