Chapter 1 A Chill

In the half-century since the conclusion of the Submersible Project, Tirian was finally feeling that same…chill.

Those "Submersible No. 3" vessels surfacing one after another seemed to appear before his eyes again. Floating into his mind were also the cautious soldiers, the solemn priests, and the Frost Queen with her cold, silent face. He seemed to see once more the hatches of those submersibles opening, seeing the mad explorers stepping out, the seemingly-human figures, the swollen, deformed monsters, the writhing, twisting masses of flesh, the silent, eerie sludge, the dry, suspicious black fibers, and…seeing the empty seat in the seventh "Submersible No. 3."

"The platform was heavily guarded at the time, with a large number of clerics and wardens watching the scene," Tirian said with a frown, recalling the events. "But…I must admit, your question is a bit frightening."

Duncan said nothing. After a few seconds, he suddenly asked, "What did you do with those 'Submersible No. 3' vessels in the end?"

"Apart from the first 'genuine article' that surfaced, the other six copies were thrown into the furnace, melted into ingots in the holy fire, and then dumped into the sea—despite the large amount of metal resources, no one dared to keep those things," Tirian said, with some hesitation in his voice. "But if, as you say, even the first one wasn't the 'genuine article,' then the situation would be…"

"Where was the first one placed?"

"If you're asking about its current whereabouts, I don't know," Tirian shook his head. "The rebels should have destroyed everything related to the Submersible Project, but who knows how they destroyed those materials. Maybe they just dismantled them for recycling?"

"But if you're talking about the period after the rebellion…Submersible No. 3 was kept in a warehouse in the port area after it was decommissioned."

Duncan was silent for a few seconds, then let out a heavy breath. "I understand…Tirian, thank you for being willing to tell me so much. In any case, that information has greatly satisfied my curiosity."

Tirian, however, seemed preoccupied. Analyzing the Submersible Project again after so many years, he couldn't help but notice too many chilling details—even though the project itself was full of oddities. But the unease that crept into his bones from looking back was even more stressful than being in the midst of it at the time. Especially the doubts his father raised about the Frost Queen's final order, which made him feel vaguely…that the old case that began half a century ago had never really ended.

His father's voice came from the mirror beside him. "Go in. You'll be sent to the Cathedral—I imagine you won't tell anyone what happened here."

"It is said that Normal No. 023 first appeared, not in the Frigid Sea, but far from the sea area where the Frost Queen was executed and fell into the sea," Duncan's voice rang from the mirror. "You and he have the same belief, but the Frost Queen herself couldn't explain her origins, just as you said…there are too many things in the deep sea that we cannot understand."

"Oh, I don't want to think about that for now," Alice scratched her head, then smiled and looked at Duncan in the mirror. "Anyway, if there's anything you need me to do or cooperate with, just tell me what to do."

"Go back through the side door." Tirian said thoughtfully, after a moment of silence, he suddenly said, "It seems that this doll is very reluctant to stay by your side."

His father didn't intend to keep him here.

Then he turned around and stepped firmly into the flame gate.

His mind was now full of thoughts related to the Submersible Project.

Tirian suddenly stopped.

Tirian stared at the sailor with deep eyes, word by word, "I fell on the road."

"It really sent me here..."

He was too embarrassed to say in front of his subordinates that it was the result of a "fall"—moreover, it wasn't even his father who did it himself, but a little girl whose height barely reached his chest.

Silence returned to the warehouse.

"Can he understand this?"

Even today, it was enough to make him extremely vigilant, even tempted to send a warning to the city-state and the church.

But at this moment, he had no intention of "reporting" to the church.

"Like No. 023…" He murmured softly, as if talking to himself, "Too similar…"

"Yes!"

The sailors looked at each other, and finally nodded, obeying the captain's decision.

"Enough, I don't want to discuss that issue for now," Tirian sighed and walked towards the cathedral gate. "Let's go back. I need to rest well today, and then it's time to set off back north."

Another sailor noticed Tirian's strangeness at a glance, and couldn't help but be shocked: "Captain, the wound on your face…and why is your head swollen so big?!"

Tirian looked at his father in the mirror with some surprise, then looked at "Alice," who clearly had the same appearance as the Frost Queen, but was nothing like the Frost Queen except for her appearance. After a moment, he suddenly laughed.

These were the sailors he had sent back earlier.

In a moment, several sailors had come to Tirian's side, and one of them couldn't wait to start chattering: "You're finally back! The sun is almost setting, where have you been?"

A flash of fire streaked through the gloomy streets, and after a while, a dazed Tirian walked out of the alley and saw the towering gates of the Pland Cathedral not far away.

"Of course, he was never an informer."

The sea thief grumbled, raised his hand to knock on his somewhat drowsy head, but accidentally touched the swollen area, and immediately sucked in a breath of cold air from the pain.

He steadied himself in front of the main entrance of the Storm Cathedral and touched the swollen areas on his face and head.

"...I fell on the road."

"I will."

"Fell on the road?" The sailor who spoke first looked at his boss suspiciously, "This fall of yours is a bit too…advanced, it's almost like you violently beat the walls and earth of Pland with your head…"

Tirian knew that his embarrassed appearance could not be concealed. He didn't expect to be able to recover before returning to the cathedral by relying on his superhuman healing ability, but the fact proved that although this strange boy's use of ghost demon techniques was debatable, the wounds created by the ghost demon were still very troublesome. It had been almost half a day, and his head was still swollen.

Tirian stepped towards the Storm Cathedral, and after only a few steps, he saw several figures appearing at the entrance of the Cathedral, running towards him.

His father was indeed re-dispersing a team. At least from what he could see, he had not yet controlled Normal No. 023, and there was a strange boy who could summon ghost demons and possessed great power to work for him, but that was obviously not all.

This time, Duncan did not find an excuse to fool the doll, but thought about it seriously before speaking in a deep voice:

"Maybe there's a connection."

Duncan said lightly: "At first, he stayed by clinging to you, but later he found that you could still be of some use."

But in any case, today's conversation had begun.

"Returning north? Are they staying there for a few more days? I was planning…"

Alice looked at the direction where the flames disappeared, then turned her head to look at the mirror beside her. After reacting for a long time, she suddenly blurted out: "Captain, why was I smiling at them just now?"

Alice gave a confused "oh," thought for a moment, and then blurted out again: "What you were discussing just now about the queen and the Submersible Project…does it have anything to do with me?"

Alice's answer was much more complicated. She smiled bitterly, nodded, and said, "You are by the captain's side. He is very powerful!"

Tirian replied, then looked at the flame gate, seeming a little hesitant, but finally made up his mind and stepped forward—but after about to cross the gate, he stopped again, and couldn't help but look back at the gothic doll standing quietly beside the mirror.

After holding it in for a long time, Ti Rian could only use a clumsy excuse to perfunctorily say.

The words "Submersible Project" surfaced in his mind again. Tirian waved his hand: "Enough, it's time to go back. There are still things to do here on the Frigid Sea..."

The sailor shuddered, and immediately reacted: "Oh, yes, yes, you obviously fell accidentally. I'll help you apply medicine after we get back…"

...

A sound of flapping wings suddenly came from the side. Tirian looked over and saw a phantom of a bird wrapped in ghostly green flames flash through the air. Immediately afterwards, a raging green fire rose from the place where the phantom flashed. The flames rose and swirled, turning into a vortex door in the blink of an eye.

Recalling the origin of the wound on his head, Tirian couldn't help but feel a little startled, and while muttering to himself, he couldn't help but feel a little curious.

Duncan replied casually, "How would I know?"

This little boy's strength was a little too scary…This was a ghost demon that weighed more than two adults tied together!

The fact that his captain had left a word and disappeared for a whole day had obviously not ended his subordinates' unease.

This was a heartfelt bitterness.

"It shouldn't be difficult."