Chapter 1 Agatha's Choice

For the "counterfeit Agatha" born from the mirror, her life was split into two distinct parts: one was warm, bright, and fulfilling, full of her love and hate for the world—essentially just a fabricated lie programmed into her mind; the other lasted only three days, filled with pressure, exhaustion, pain, and a final, liberating death. But that was the only memory that truly belonged to her. Now, the deceased had returned to the world of the living. The counterfeit had a chance to continue.

The problem facing her was that the former was captivating but destined to be unattainable. After a long time, all the regrets would turn into resentment. The latter was real but thin—a pale, short life that was not enough for her to survive as a complete "person."

Captain Duncan gave her a reminder before this inevitably difficult fork in the road. After a long period of reflection, she came to a conclusion: leaving Hanshuang, that dark and cold deep sea was frightening, but the "descent" itself allowed her to discover another possibility of "life" for the first time—just like the captain described to her in the submersible.

We fumble forward in an endless darkness. Civilization itself is just a delicate and fragile sampan. The lights illuminate the sampan, and we use the shallow wisdom of mortals to try to understand the shadows that emerge in the darkness—to guess what the world looks like.

"Most people spend their entire lives curled up in the safe corner of the sampan, but someone must be responsible for holding the lamp at the bow, responsible for looking into the distance.

This is a road destined to go forward forever, because the unknown is a one-way concept. Where to... perhaps I can try it.

"Agatha in the mirror said calmly. The black clothes representing her identity as the Gatekeeper had quietly changed into an outfit like that of a maritime adventurer.

It was somewhat like Martha's attire, but still retained some traces of the Church of the Dead. She raised her hand again to take off the hat symbolizing the clergy, letting her long hair fall down. The bandages that wrapped her body also slowly faded away... She raised her head... and showed Duncan a smile. "The counterfeit has no real past... but I can have a real future.

Let those precious memories lie quietly in the past. That way, at least when I recall them in the future, they will still be bright and warm, and will not be stained with the filth of human weakness.

This outfit was designed for me by Martha—what do you think?"

Duncan looked at Agatha in the mirror, and after a long time, nodded very seriously, "Very suitable."

"Do you think I need to change my name again?" Agatha said again.

If she was going to embark on a completely new path from now on, should she start by making some changes from her name?

Duncan was silent for a long time this time, but after a long period of thought... he still shook his head, "No need... I think it's good for you to still be called Agatha."

"Why?"

"Because I'm used to calling you that. It's inconvenient to change the name," Duncan replied casually.

"Anyway, I can tell 'you' apart."

"You" can also tell each other apart.

Agatha in the mirror looked at Duncan deeply, "That doesn't seem to be your real answer, but it's enough to convince me. It just so happens that I quite like this name... Let's just say it's leaving a final memento for my 'past.'"

Duncan nodded, "Yeah... it's good that you can think that way."

"Have you already arranged things in the city-state?" Agatha asked again...

"Are you really planning to be a 'graveyard keeper' in Hanshuang from now on?"

Duncan raised his eyebrows. "Is there anything wrong with this position?"

"There's nothing wrong with it, but thinking that 'Captain Duncan,' who is like a shadow in the sub-space in the eyes of many people, would actually be guarding a graveyard in the city-state... it feels very strange."

Agatha in the mirror frankly stated her thoughts, "But as long as you are willing, this is of course a good thing. I'm afraid there will be no place safer than that graveyard in the future."

"I think it's good. I also run an antique shop in Prand. Maintaining activities in civilized society can be good for regulating my mood," Duncan said with a smile.

"What's more, maintaining an avatar's life in the city-state also requires expenses... Being a watchman in the graveyard at least has a salary..." Duncan suddenly stopped. He slowly raised his head, looked at the "Gatekeeper" in the mirror, and asked very solemnly, "Will the Cathedral give me, this 'new watchman,' a salary?"

Agatha only realized at this time, "You need a salary?"

"You don't pay salaries?"

"Ah, under normal circumstances, of course, it is paid. The graveyard keeper's salary is directly paid by the Cathedral..."

Agatha said with a strange expression, "But it is not normal for a sub-space shadow to run to the graveyard to be a watchman. I strongly suggest that you go to the Cathedral and have a serious talk with the other Agatha about this matter, because based on my understanding of myself... if you don't take the initiative to mention it, she will definitely not think of it, or rather, dare not think of it.

Duncan: "Is it that outrageous?"

"The string of numbers you wrote at the end of the whistleblower letter almost drove a roomful of cryptographers and mathematicians crazy."

"Later, when transferring money to your bank account, the Cathedral even set up a secret action team to monitor the changes in the spirit world. When you, as a sub-space shadow, deal with ordinary people, please consider the values of most normal humans."

Duncan's mouth twitched, and he rubbed his forehead. "Okay... I understand."

Agatha seemed to breathe a sigh of relief, and then asked curiously, "Now that the situation in Hanshuang has been settled, what are your next plans?"

"I'm preparing to return to the central sea area... According to some archaeological data provided by Morris, I'm going to check the ancient ruins and strange sea areas that interest me along the route. If possible, I'll approach and even enter some areas listed as anomalies, to explore and understand this world as much as possible," Duncan said with great interest, obviously having plans for a long time.

"In this process... I will continue to maintain contact with the civilized world, and by the way, see what the major churches' warnings to me are. If they are interested, I don't mind dealing with those mysterious cathedral arks again..."

"It sounds like an enviable adventure," Agatha said with pleasure and anticipation in her tone.

"It's full of risks, but worth going... It seems my decision was correct. Are we leaving now? Or do we need to make some more preparations?"

"Don't worry, we need to arrange the affairs of the White Oak first... and we have to tell Tyrion," Duncan laughed.

"He should have returned to the Dome Office by now. I'll go say hello to him."

"Understood, then I won't disturb you." Agatha lowered her head, and her figure gradually faded from the mirror. At the same time, in the Dome Office of the Hanshuang Political Affairs Hall, Tyrion had sent away the last department representative. He took off the gorgeous but uncomfortable coat he wore for ceremonial occasions, put on his usual attire again, and sat behind his desk, breathing a slight sigh of relief. Next, he would have a short break to prepare for the rest of the day's work. Managing a city full of messes meant that even as the newly sworn-in executive, he had no chance to stop working. This morning's itinerary was "squeezed" in between normal work hours. He had to deal with all the delayed matters in the afternoon and evening. What's more, what he had to deal with was not only the affairs of the Hanshuang City-State. The vast "industry" that the Sea Mist Fleet had operated for the past fifty years... his own complex and delicate relationship with other city-states, the balance of power in the Bitter Sea, and his relationship with his "family"... all of these added up were no easier than the work of the executive. Tyrion sighed for a long time, opened a locked drawer next to his desk, and took out many documents and materials from it: files related to the Sea Mist Fleet, shared data from the Radiant Star, private letters from other city-states. The meaning of break time was that he could temporarily put down the work of the executive... to do another pile of work that was as difficult as the executive's work. Tyrion's eyes swept over the pile of things, and he couldn't help but raise his hand and scratch his hair. For some unknown reason... the terrible association of First Mate Aiden's bald head suddenly appeared, making the new executive shudder involuntarily... and suddenly stopped continuing to scratch his hair.

"Aiden shaved it himself back then, Aiden shaved it himself back then... He's regretted it for a century." Tyrion muttered in a low voice... as if to divert the pressure he felt when facing the pile of things in front of him.

And just at this moment, a slight crackling sound suddenly came from nearby... abruptly interrupting his mutterings... After a subconscious shiver in his heart... he quickly calmed down and looked up at the mirror on the nearby wall with a calm expression. He was used to it... Duncan's figure appeared in the mirror.

"Son, I'm here to say hello. Is everything going well?"

"Everything is going well, Father..." Tyrion stood up, cautiously dealing with his father's gaze... but his heart was much more relaxed than usual.

"Do you have any instructions..."

"Nothing... just that I'm preparing to lea..." Duncan suddenly stopped.

Tyrion looked at his father in the mirror in confusion... but saw that the other party was staring intently at... the table next to him... his expression looking particularly strange... That expression even carried shock. This shock made Tyrion's heart tighten, and he hurriedly followed his father's gaze, only to see a piece of paper that had fallen out of the pile of documents just now... It was sent to him by Lucretia from the Radiant Star.

It was a "shared material on academic aspects." Duncan's exceptionally serious voice came from the mirror: "Tyrion, what is that? Bring it closer and let me see it."

"Ah... okay..." Tyrion hurriedly agreed, quickly picked up the piece of paper, walked to the mirror, and showed the image on the paper to his father, "Is there any problem with this?"

"Where did this pattern come from?"

"It was sent by Lucretia."

Tyrion replied immediately... his tone somewhat nervous and guilty, "I didn't tell you before, but she has actually been studying something that fell from the sky during this time." Duncan didn't speak, but just stared intently at the piece of paper. After a long time... he broke the silence with a soft voice, as if talking to himself in a dream: "The Moon."