Chapter 763 A Sailor's Temporary Lodging

Everyone instantly crowded around Duncan after he opened his eyes.

The translucent, eerie green spirit flame was still burning quietly in the folds of the shroud. Duncan blinked and extinguished the flame before it could completely incinerate the cloth. He paused, sorting through the information he had just seen, and then focused his gaze on the "sailor."

The mummy stood a little further away, maintaining a distance while craning his neck to peek, looking hesitant.

"Uncle Duncan, what did you see?" Nina tugged at Duncan's arm, looking up with a worried and curious expression.

"...Captain Kalani's memories," Duncan sighed softly, not keeping them in suspense. "It records the Sea Song's experiences after it was lost and its return journey..."

The "sailor" perked up his ears, unconsciously taking small steps closer.

Duncan, without concealing anything, recounted everything he had seen in the illusion.

As soon as he finished speaking, all eyes immediately fell on the "sailor," who had already shuffled to the side of the coffee table.

Anomaly 077 had been all ears a moment ago, but when he suddenly heard that Captain Kalani had entrusted him with the route to the outer barrier, his expression froze. Noticing everyone was looking at him, he immediately took a half-step back, waving his hands and widening his eyes. "Hey, don't look at me! I don't know anything about the route. What route? I'm confused too!"

"You don't know?" Helena frowned, looking at him suspiciously. "Captain Kalani said she entrusted the route to you...you have no recollection at all?"

"I don't!" The mummy opened his hands, looking even more bewildered than when Aiyi had thrown him out of the portal. "I only remember the logbook, and even that's vague...you know, I can't even remember the specifics of my own return journey!"

The tall, silent Frem stared at him for a long time before suddenly asking, "What else do you remember? After returning to the boundless sea, didn't you have any other more profound memories?"

The "sailor" thought hard, then clapped his hands. "Yes, I remember waking up in a box. Two people in blue and black robes were chanting beside me, sprinkling bone ash and spices all over me. And some rock-like Senjin man, just like you, was about to nail the coffin lid on my head. I wouldn't let him, so he gave me a hammer – and when I woke up again, it was fucking 1864."

Frem: "..."

The living room was silent for two seconds, the atmosphere a little awkward. Alice, however, seemed completely oblivious, and when no one else spoke, she asked curiously, "Ah, and then what?"

"Then? As soon as I sat up, I heard someone shout beside me. I didn't hear exactly what they shouted, but I saw a girl rush up and give me another hammer – and when I woke up again, it was 1901. Captain Lawrence, along with a group of sailors covered in fire, tried to pin me to the bridge. I couldn't resist...you know the rest..."

Everyone in the living room exchanged glances. Helena coughed awkwardly, while Duncan spread his hands helplessly. They began to try and shift the attention away from the topic...

Only the clueless Alice was still chattering to the "sailor." "Hey, how did you know it was 1864? Weren't you just knocked unconscious?"

"I asked Captain Lawrence later. He said that was the only time in the historical records that I was close to being completely out of control...Besides, I actually woke up several times, but I don't remember those..."

"I'm telling you, I used to sleep in a box too. People would chant beside the box, sprinkling things and hammering nails..."

"Really? How's your sleep quality?"

"Not bad, the chanting wasn't too noisy – but now I don't sleep in a box half the time. The captain gave me a bed..."

The "sailor" sighed sincerely, "I envy you being able to sleep..."

The two anomalies suddenly began discussing a rather bizarre topic as if no one else was around. Duncan, hearing half of it, couldn't help but cough twice, interrupting their conversation. "Ahem, now is not the time for this."

The "sailor" instantly shut his mouth.

"First of all, I believe what you're saying. You probably have forgotten about the 'route'," Duncan adjusted his expression and said earnestly to Anomaly 077. "But what's recorded in Captain Kalani's log must be true. The 'route' is on you."

The "sailor" opened his mouth, pointing at himself. "Then what do I do if I don't remember..."

"I haven't finished," Duncan waved his hand. "Whether you remember it or not may not matter – because this important route may not have simply been 'remembered' in your mind from the start. Captain Kalani mentioned in her log that she 'entrusted the route to you.' That phrase bothers me...she seemed to regard the route as some kind of 'item,' or...some other 'entity.' Perhaps when she left that log, she was aware that this day might come."

Duncan paused, thinking for a moment. His gaze then fell on the "shroud" again.

"Just as her log crossed the border in this form, she may have used other methods to leave information about the 'route' with you. Even if the border distorted that information, interfered with your memory and even your self-awareness, this 'route' will not disappear – it's still on you, in some 'form' that we don't yet understand."

The "sailor" listened blankly, seeming to be gradually convinced, but he suddenly became suspicious. "...Could Captain Kalani really do something like that? I thought her log becoming like this was just some kind of 'accident'...after all, she was just a mortal..."

"But she once faced our Lord," Helena suddenly broke the silence. "Any mortal who has faced a god...is hard to be regarded as a pure 'mortal' anymore."

The "sailor" fell silent.

"We need some time to consider how to arrange the next steps, including verifying whether there really is information about the 'route' on you," Duncan looked into Anomaly 077's eyes, his expression extremely serious. "But in any case, you must stay with us for a period of time – when necessary, you will sail with the Forsaken. Prepare for this."

The "sailor" visibly shuddered upon hearing this. "Ah? I thought I could just come and deliver the information..."

Duncan stared at him silently.

The "sailor's" expression instantly straightened. "Of course, as you know, I have always been a loyal member of the Forsaken Fleet. Boarding that legendary exploration ship is my lifelong wish..."

Duncan's face relaxed, and he nodded with a smile. The others also smiled at the "sailor," and Shirley even patted his skinny arm. "Don't be nervous, the captain is actually very nice! And it's not boring on the ship, there's all kinds of excitement every day..."

She was too embarrassed to say that she was one of the biggest "excitements" on the ship...

Everyone was happy except for Helena, who looked at the scene with a complex expression.

She couldn't help but remember not long ago, when the Sea Song was preparing to depart, the warriors who came to the Ark to receive her blessing, the faces that were positive, determined, and full of faith.

She still found it hard to believe that those warriors had disappeared into the long river of time – even the only one who returned to this world had become like this.

"We should leave," the High Priestess sighed softly. "We've been disturbing you here for too long – there are still many things waiting for me and Frem at the Church."

Duncan glanced at the mechanical clock on the wall opposite the living room and realized the day was over.

"Then I won't see you off," he said casually. "I also have some things to arrange."

Helena nodded. After saying goodbye to the others, she and Frem turned and walked towards the door – but as they were about to leave, she suddenly stopped and looked back at Duncan.

After a brief hesitation, she said, "The Deep Sea Church's border gathering point is located on the southeastern border, near the sea area where you last met the Tide."

"Understood," Duncan nodded gently. "I'll contact you before setting off."

The two Hierarchs left, and a moment later, two cars drove off into the vast night.

The living room fell silent for a moment. Shirley was the first to stretch and yawn. "Haa...I'm sleepy, I'm going back to sleep!"

Vanna and Morris also left the living room.

"There are still quite a few empty rooms here," Lucretia, as the hostess, began to arrange accommodation for the 'new member.' She looked at the mummy in front of her. "Do you have any requests for the room? Regarding the floor or ventilation."

"No need, no need," the mummy waved his hands repeatedly, appearing quite nervous. "Just find me a place to stay, I don't sleep anyway..."

His gaze suddenly fell on the staircase railing not far away.

"Hey, this railing is not bad. Give me a rope, and I can hang here. The front faces the sun, so I can soak up the sun in the morning...oh, although there's no sun lately..."

"Are you sure?" Duncan raised his eyebrows. "I'll remind you, Nina gets up the earliest every day, and that girl is easily confused when she wakes up. If she comes down the stairs in a daze and looks up to see you hanging on the railing, it won't just be a simple scare – you'll really see the sun."

"You must stay in the room!" Lucretia immediately said to the mummy when she heard this. "Don't really scare Nina – I'll lose my house then."

Nina muttered softly behind Duncan, "Actually, I'm controlling it pretty well now..."

The "sailor" blinked, listening to Captain Duncan and Miss Witch's words, and looking at the "Shard of the Sun" looking aggrieved and muttering beside him, he suddenly felt...the atmosphere here seemed a little different from what he imagined.

Not bad.

He twitched the corner of his mouth, revealing a somewhat frightening smile.

"Okay, I'll listen to your arrangements."

(Happy New Year, everyone!)

(End of Chapter)

Yuan Tong