The sea stirred with a slight swell.

A cold night wind swept across the water, the undulating waves crashing against the sturdy hull of the Vanishing Sail, yet the massive ship maintained its steady course, seemingly oblivious to the storm as it continued to sail north at full speed.

The translucent spirit-sail billowed high against the night sky, and the lines and masts occasionally creaked with tension. The living ghost ship sighed contentedly in the storm, but its newest member appeared preoccupied.

Vanna had learned the truth about the Frost Rebellion half a century ago from Duncan, the bizarre Sunken Scheme, and the lingering shadows of that terrible plan today.

Compared to the world-shattering fires encountered by Pland, the Sunken Scheme in Frost was a terror on another level—dark, cold, and formless horrors lurked in the abyss. Disaster might be about to happen, might have already happened, or might even be over, but in the cold night, no sound could describe the shape of that formless terror.

The Black Sun event in Pland was a fiery, dazzling war, but what happened beneath the seas of Frost was a silent, twisted nightmare.

"According to Tyrian, the Sunken Scheme is over, and all its consequences ended with the death of the Frost Queen, but in fact, we have no evidence to prove that some extraordinary anomaly beneath Frost has really stopped operating—we don't even know what it is. The whole thing, from beginning to end, is shrouded in mist. And now Morris has received a letter from a friend, a signal that something is amiss in this northern city-state."

Duncan's deep voice rang out in the night wind. After a moment of silence, he turned to Vanna. "Did Helena mention anything about 'unusual movements' in the northern seas?"

"Your Holiness?" Vanna paused, shaking her head slightly. "She didn't say. She just told me to board the Vanishing Sail, but didn't tell me what to do."

"She didn't say..." Duncan murmured, but didn't dwell on the topic. "Then don't think about it too much. Just get used to life on board. Tomorrow, I won't give you any difficult tasks."

He looked away into the distance, gazing at the shimmering "stars" in the sky.

"I don't mind," Duncan said casually, waving his hand and walking away without looking back.

"Then stop talking nonsense," he said casually, glancing at the sea chart as he passed. "Where are we now? What's the situation with the Sea Mist?"

Goat Head immediately acknowledged, "Understood."

The sound of waves lapping against the hull echoed. Vanna watched the tall figure walk away. Suddenly, as if remembering something, she called out to Duncan, "Captain!"

Vanna opened her mouth, and after a couple of seconds, finally said, "I apologize—for my rashness in the past..."

But instead of immediately moving or touching a distant cluster of starlight, he first calmed himself, carefully observing the shimmering lights and sensing the aura vaguely revealed within them.

Inside the captain's cabin, Goat Head creaked as he raised his head, looking at Duncan as he entered the room. "Ah, Captain, have you finished comforting the new crew member? Today is an incredible day. A high-ranking priestess of the Storm Goddess has become your crew member. This can also be regarded as a trophy. I think..."

"Yes, Captain!"

Vanna watched Duncan's actions with curiosity. "What is he doing?"

At this point, she paused and then said with some determination, "Do you mind these actions?"

Behind her, in the churning sea, the Pland-carved wave amulet bobbed up and down in the waves for a long time, until it was suddenly caught by a wave and swept into the depths of the sea.

She looked up at the deep night and the distant mist on the boundless sea.

"Definitely

There's really something wrong with Frost, and it's related to the secrets beneath the abyss. I think Tyrian will take action. Keeping an eye on him is like keeping an eye on Frost. The conditions are right here, so we'll lie in wait far from the Sea Mist."

After thinking for a moment, he approached some of the points of light and cautiously touched a few of them.

At least a part of them.

The door to the cabin closed behind her.

"This is a wave amulet I carved by hand from Pland. Followers of the Storm Goddess use this method to pray when they go to sea," Duncan explained casually. "It is considered to be favored by the Storm Goddess. Throwing the amulet into the sea symbolizes an ancient sacrifice, and praying while throwing the amulet makes it easier to establish a connection with the goddess."

"It's late, it's best not to stay on deck in the cold wind for too long—the night sea breeze is not very friendly to the body and mind."

As he spoke, he rummaged around in his pockets and pulled out a small piece of wood from his shirt pocket—a wave amulet carved from Pland. He put the amulet to his lips, whispered a few words of prayer, and then threw it forcefully into the sea outside the ship's railing.

Duncan's gaze swept across a dazzling array of starlight, searching for individuals whose light and vitality had faded.

After touching a few points of light, Duncan withdrew his will.

Duncan glanced at the pigeon. "Spirit world walking."

Duncan raised his eyelids and glanced at Goat Head, "Say that in front of Vanna next time."

"Yes, Captain."

After thinking for a moment, he said, "Also, after the Sea Mist stops, go over and take a look—without exposing ourselves, scout out the location and surrounding environment of Tyrian's secret port. This shouldn't be difficult for the Vanishing Sail, which can lurk in the spirit world for a long time."

Ayi's figure emerged from the darkness, the skeletal bird wrapped in spirit fire circling around him.

Duncan looked at Vanna with some surprise—you've had such a surprised look on your face all day—then belatedly nodded, "Ah, okay, thank you."

"Ah, of course I don't mind. As I said, the atmosphere on the Vanishing Sail is more relaxed than you think," Duncan immediately shook his head with a smile. "Morris usually prays to the God of Wisdom as well."

Hot, relaxed, fuel prices, steam supply, city hall...

"Don't expose ourselves for now," Duncan said. "I still intend to have a 'warm contact' with the Frost city-state guard."

A moment later, a cluster of normally flickering light suddenly caught his eye.

Duncan stopped and didn't turn around. "What else is there?"

"Ah, of course, that's easy," Goat Head immediately agreed, "But... what do you want to do by scouting this secret port?"

"...can't beat them."

He came once again to this space filled with countless stars and lines, an boundless expanse of chaotic darkness.

With that, he waved to Vanna and slowly walked towards the captain's cabin. "I'll go back first, you should rest early."

As the words fell, the brass compass hanging on Ayi's chest snapped open, and a ghostly green flame rose from within the compass. In an instant, the scene in Vanna's vision changed!

"Not him!"

"I want to try to investigate the situation in Frost, don't disturb me unless necessary."

He didn't directly occupy the shells represented by these points of light, but instead read the deeper information behind the points of light through this method—emotions, perceptions, and even complete superficial consciousness.

I need a suitable shell to serve as an outpost for gathering information.

Vanna nodded and walked towards her cabin.

"The Sea Mist is still sailing at full speed, but it slightly adjusted its course twice not long ago. Judging from its position, it may be approaching the Sea Mist Fleet's secret home port," Goat Head immediately replied. "We should be able to enter the Frigid Sea before dawn, and then it will take another five to seven days of sailing north to reach Frost... Should we sail directly there, or act covertly in the distant sea area?"

Ayi, who was closing his eyes to rest next to the window, woke up, flapped his wings and jumped onto the table, tilting his head and looking at his master: "Eat in, or stay the night?"

Duncan breathed a sigh of relief, came to the table and sat down, stretching his slightly stiff shoulders and neck.

Vanna was still standing on the deck, seemingly lost in thought. Continuing to touch these points of light representing "living people" might cause a wide range of panic, which could then attract the attention of the city-state guards. She didn't want to deal with familiar churches yet.

The information gathered so far was enough—the information read from these few points of light was not enough to confirm that this starlight was indeed the residents of Frost.

As expected... as the Vanishing Sail continued to move away from Sea Breath Wood and closer to Frost, the starlight she saw in this space also changed!

Vanna raised her head, sensing her body in the Vanishing Sail. Following her senses, she looked into the depths of darkness and saw a hazy cluster of light in the far distance.