Chapter 962: Chapter 155: But That Was Already 20 Years Ago; Back Then, He Was Always Busy Here
The Captain’s Cabin of Andrea is the most thoroughly restored place.
The corrupt walls, decorations, and furniture, like ugly barnacles on a whale’s body, were completely replaced. A giant deer specimen moved from the mayor’s office, a ship’s helm personally crafted by Fetler III, the carpenter king of the Zohan Kingdom, and a desk said to have been used by the president of the Exorcist Association, treasured on the third floor of a museum.
It was said that they even wanted to place the ancient mark of Master Proxius here, but were finally stopped by the notion that "this ship is also strange," quelling the overzealous enthusiasm of the shipyard and the officials in charge.
At this moment, Lu Li was seated in a leather chair also crafted by a master artisan, quietly reading a newspaper from the Vena Ice-Free Port.
A black trench coat was draped over the armrest of the chair, the sleeves of a brand-new shirt were rolled up, and the bandages wrapped around outlined the muscles of his arms.
His still-damp hair lay scattered across his forehead, more profound than before. Under the dim glow of the oil lamp, his handsome face appeared more like a sculpted piece of art.
Katerina lay on the soft bed, watching Lu Li without blinking, as if appreciating a beautiful painting.
Of course, she didn’t understand art, but who couldn’t appreciate beautiful things?
A charred body filled with cracks suddenly blocked her view.
"What are you... looking at," hoarse, obscure murmurs arose.
"Keep your mood pleasant to restore your sanity value."
Katerina turned over, looking up at the light brown ceiling.
"He’s... my... lover."
"If that woman finds out, she’ll kill you."
"I’m not afraid... of her."
"Instead of meaningless jealousy, think about how to help him." Katerina turned her head, but regrettably, the outline behind the desk was blocked by a piece of charcoal.
"Find... the prophet."
"I didn’t mean that; I meant his current state."
Katerina lowered her voice, so only they could hear.
"Don’t you think he’s become more... emotionless since he came back?"
Lu Li’s calmness was nearing rational sanity. He wasn’t without emotions, but they were always suppressed under powerful rationality...
But now it had become indifference, as if stripped of the already scarce colors.
If it were the previous Lu Li, he would’ve helped Katerina alleviate her pain, would have checked Proxius for contamination, would have inquired Proxius.
But now he did nothing, only "reading a newspaper" out of habit.
"Finding out... a beloved one’s... death news, of course... he’ll change."
Katerina could actually sense appreciation in Ophelia’s hoarse, distorted words, holding her head and sighing, "My head is shaking again... saying it is too painful, write it down instead."
Writing it down on paper wasn’t much quicker than speaking, but it was mainly about coherence, suitable for Katerina’s understanding now.
Only when Ophelia finished writing the note and handed it to Katerina, she barely glanced at it and felt the words squirm and fit together, forming an outline of the seabed.
"No, I can’t understand it in my state... Wait, do I even recognize words?"
In her chaotic consciousness, Katerina once again couldn’t think.
Ophelia waited patiently as Katerina endured the pain with her eyes closed, breaking into a cold sweat, and slowly opened them, continuing to ask, "Do you have... any... solution?"
"No."
Katerina reached out to her, and when a wet towel was passed over, she covered her forehead, recalling the long, torturous events that had happened just minutes ago: "Unless we find that woman, otherwise, we might never see him smile again... damn, the hallucinations are back, I must—"
The voice abruptly stopped, and Katerina closed her eyes, sinking into the oncoming delirium.
Puxiu, also afflicted, was slightly better off than Katerina, apart from losing more hair, and his tentacled tail adhered to his original one, his consciousness still belonged to himself.
Or perhaps it was because they were heading to Belfast, the beguiling presence didn’t press harder.
The silent night, with waves and mist, lay outside the Captain’s Cabin’s barrier.
At some point, Lu Li put down the newspaper, his deep eyes falling on the clock, slightly squinting.
10:38, not yet midnight.
But in Lu Li’s senses, it felt like a long time had passed.
"Where are we now."
The boss lady answered, "Close to the Ailen Peninsula."
Lu Li unfolded the newspaper again, realizing he hadn’t finished the first page.
This night was a hard one for everyone.
In the late night, Andrea quietly returned to Belfast, docking in the harbor close to the shore.
By dawn, the people who were fast asleep would wake and land on the beach.
But all who set foot in Himfast and were subsequently noticed by the Heretics’ "Master" had the same dream this night, including Ophelia, who didn’t need to sleep.
They dreamed the ground beneath them softened, becoming swamp-like and sticky, then turned into seawater, engulfing them, dragging them into the deep, dark, bottomless abyss of the sea—
Awakening from the dream, the Mist of Strangeness had long receded, and soon, the thin fog would also disperse.
Andrea would be exposed, without cover, to the gaze of all who looked towards the sea.
But Katerina didn’t wake, she started running a low fever, accompanied by incomprehensible babbling sleep talk, with the Sanity Value Counter ringing more frequently than others.
When merchants inquired with the Vena Ice-Free Port, they quickly conveyed the message, saying it was delirium. A sharp drop in Sanity Value in a short term, or falling below a critical point, could cause such symptoms, followed by a nervous inquiry if the symptoms were from Lu Li—
Katerina couldn’t follow them anymore and must be treated.
The Twisted Vine Church couldn’t help, as they were better at inflicting contamination.
Upon learning that the Vena Ice-Free Port could treat delirium to a certain extent, they had Andrea send Katerina back to the Vena Ice-Free Port for treatment and recuperation after they disembarked.
The unconscious Katerina couldn’t object, but as they exited the Captain’s Cabin, preparing to dock, the boss lady tugged on Lu Li’s hood.
"It seems like she’s calling you."
Standing in front of the door, Lu Li turned back, Katerina’s posture changed. Her palm etched out of the duvet, hanging in mid-air as if she was reaching out this way.
"Return after recuperating."
Lu Li said, closing the Captain’s Cabin.
Paddling the boat ashore, they rushed into the Anres Brothers Repair Station through the sparse thin mist.
The morning fog soon cleared, leaving the tranquil bay without a trace of Andrea’s outline.
Plunging into the repair station, through the lengthy passage reached the True Library, and the Twisted Vine Church.
They went to the Vine Church side first, but the Eternal Dreamer still hadn’t awakened.
The twisted figure that knew of their arrival sent a Tentacle Cultist to greet them. It showed a more intense hostility towards Puxiu, but it was suppressed by reason.
"Do you know how to resolve the contamination?!" Before Puxiu could eagerly inquire, the clocktower’s deep, piercing chime rang out.
Dong—Dong—Dong—
The chimes echoed, with members of the gathering place gradually emerging from their houses, and the plaza gradually became lively and noisy.
The chimes signified the arrival of disaster.
And now all Lu Li and the others could do was wait.
Wait for the Prophet to wake up.
Wait for Katerina to return.
Wait for the disaster to pass.