WCBD CH139

Chapter 139: New Clues

The man named Garrett Gielgud sat on the ground.

He was frozen pale, his hair dripping wet. His hair hung down to his shoulders, longer than any of the Middleton locals present, and soaked with water, it clung together in strands like snakes crawling across his face.

Even having just escaped the jaws of death, he still looked manic and indifferent. That manic expression almost completely overturned his desperate, down-and-out appearance.

As the others whispered about him, he laughed instead, a cold and reckless sound. He was clearly ostracized by many of the sailors present. People chattered among themselves, though none showed any regret.

Before long, the crowd gradually dispersed, losing interest in Garrett. The captain exchanged a few words with Garrett and quickly lost his patience as well. Garrett, however, just sat there by himself, his gaze fixed on the distance, still wearing that unsettling smile.

Siles wasn’t sure what they had discussed with Garrett. Johnny looked troubled, as if he didn’t know how to translate it for Siles. Finally, he simply said, “They had a bit of a conflict.”

Siles could naturally see that. He realized that “the infamous Garrett Gielgud” was indeed not a baseless title. People disliked Garrett, and mixed within this dislike was a hint of… fear toward his madness.

He was in no rush to converse with Garrett.

The deaths of Garrett’s crew and the merchant Ambrose also made Siles sigh inwardly. Death sometimes came too easily. In this world with deities, human life was even more insignificant.

After all the commotion, it was nearly six o’clock. The sky was gradually brightening, and more passengers were waking up. Noticing the man sitting on the deck, they revealed curious expressions.

The Middleton locals heading to Bethune seemed to have more or less heard of Garrett’s reputation; thus, upon finding out what happened, they showed a subtle expression—schadenfreude mixed with unease. Siles’s companions, naturally, had no way of knowing.

However, their highly sociable guide, Isaac, was already quietly inquiring with the other passengers present. He occasionally exchanged a few whispered words with Johnny, bearing a sense of shock and unfamiliarity toward his homeland.

Siles first went to the dining room to eat breakfast. The main dish for breakfast was an incredibly savory fish cake, which Siles found quite delicious. The cabin had a very distinct salty smell of seawater. Or perhaps it was the smell of people’s sweat, as the temperature in the dining room was relatively high.

While eating breakfast, he pondered the implications of Garrett Gielgud appearing here.

Clearly, Garrett and his group, who had set sail the evening before last, encountered some trouble. This trouble killed everyone else, yet Garrett survived. And Garrett’s peculiar behavior after being rescued made people feel as though he wasn’t entirely sane.

However, judging from the result of Siles’s previous check, Garrett likely possessed some extremely important information, or else it would be a disservice to Siles’s “Critical Success.”

What exactly did this crazy, infamous captain know? Siles couldn’t help but wonder.

Right at this moment, a shadow suddenly fell in front of him. Siles looked up and saw Garrett Gielgud. He stood by Siles’s table and said something, but Siles didn’t understand.

Garrett frowned, revealing obvious impatience, and began looking around. Siles calmly observed the man. Soon, Johnny noticed the commotion on their side and got up to come over. He temporarily acted as the translator between the two.

“Uh… he means, he heard that you heard his cries and saved him, so he wants to thank you,” Johnny said. “However, he said he hopes you won’t use this to threaten him… uh, yes, threaten him.”

Siles simply listened quietly to Johnny’s translation, making no immediate response.

So Garrett rattled off another long string of words.

Johnny continued translating word by word: “If there are any conditions, state them now… uh, still referring to you saving him. The offer expires… once he gets off the ship, he won’t bother paying attention to you. He’s seen people use favors to blackmail others…”

Saying this, Johnny also couldn’t help but frown.

Siles was pondering and hadn’t said anything yet when a Middleton local nearby slammed his hand on the table and stood up, loudly rebuking Johnny—Siles could tell from his tone.

But judging purely by Garrett’s expression, the man’s insults were likely quite nasty.

Garrett looked like he wanted to fight right then and there. He was still pale, clearly not having recovered from the freezing cold earlier. But his gaze was colder than his body temperature. He stared at the man so intensely that the latter slowly shut his mouth.

Finally, Garrett said something to Siles and then left.

From start to finish, Siles hadn’t said a single word.

Johnny translated Garrett’s last sentence: “He said he knows this ship arrives at 4 PM, and you must tell him what compensation you want before then. The offer expires after that.”

After finishing the translation, Johnny looked in the direction Garrett had left and couldn’t help but say indignantly, “His attitude is far too rude. Professor, you clearly saved his life, and asking for anything wouldn’t be too much, yet he’s so arrogant. It’s unbelievable!”

It seemed Johnny completely understood now why the people of Kingsley hated this captain so much.

Siles stared thoughtfully at Garrett’s back. After a moment, he said, “Do me a favor, Johnny.”

“Of course, go ahead,” Johnny said, calming down as well.

“Help me ask around about Garrett’s past,” Siles said.

“…Past?”

“Yes. His family, his experiences at sea, his business, the rumors about him, and so on,” Siles said. “I think we might be able to uncover some interesting things.”

Johnny was a bit surprised, but he quickly replied, “Understood, Professor. With his sudden appearance on the ship, people will definitely be discussing him. I’ll go ask around right now.”

Johnny quickly left, and Siles fell into deep thought.

The reason he asked Johnny to do this was that he realized Garrett’s attitude was a bit off.

Garrett’s ship had just sunk, and he was highly likely involved in matters related to the “shadow,” considering his departure time. Under such circumstances, could he really recover in such a short period and make a special trip just to warn Siles not to try anything funny?

Siles believed that such behavior was either extreme madness or extreme calmness.

In either case, investigating Garrett’s past wasn’t a bad idea, especially since Siles planned to have a chat with him later. The translator would naturally be Johnny; Siles felt this introverted and quiet translator was rather trustworthy.

As he was thinking, Doctor Chester sat down across from him.

“I heard the sailors rescued someone,” Doctor Chester said casually. “How strange. It seems all sorts of bizarre things are happening on this trip.”

Siles silently looked at his friend.

Doctor Chester almost subconsciously paused, then came to a sudden realization: “I understand now. This definitely has something to do with you, Professor Noel.”

Siles: “…”

He couldn’t deny it.

Siles weighed his words and brought up some of his suspicions about Garrett. Of course, regarding the “shadow,” Siles didn’t think it was appropriate to let the doctor know.

Doctor Chester listened with interest while eating his fish cake. When Siles finished, he first praised the deliciousness of the fish cake, and then said, “Yes, he is indeed somewhat suspicious. However, Professor, perhaps he was just born being this petty and calculating?”

Siles was momentarily stunned.

“Although I think this captain might know some secret,” Doctor Chester said, carrying a slightly skeptical and curious attitude, “it’s impossible that just anyone who randomly appears can be helpful to your investigation, right? That would be far too coincidental!”

Siles: “…”

The actual situation was perhaps even more coincidental than Doctor Chester imagined.

However, the doctor’s words made sense. Siles felt there was no need to hold any prior expectations about this. If Garrett actually possessed some information, that would naturally be a good thing, but even if he didn’t, it couldn’t be considered a bad thing.

Their topic quickly skipped past the stranger, Garrett, and moved on to other matters.

“After one night, it feels like everyone is slowly getting used to life on the ship,” Doctor Chester said. “Of course, there are still people constantly suffering from seasickness.”

He was a doctor, yet yesterday he had also fallen into a severe state of seasickness, forcing Siles to busy himself taking care of the others. This made him quite embarrassed. Of course, such physical reactions were hard to avoid.

Fortunately, they were now gradually adapting.

Siles said, “The Duchy of Konst is very far from the ocean. Almost none of us have ever been on a ship, so it’s natural to get seasick easily. Luckily, only this round trip to Bethune requires traveling by boat.”

Doctor Chester nodded in strong agreement, saying, “It’s also quite a novel feeling. I mean… ships like this.”

He harbored the thought that this was perhaps the very type of ship his mother had taken when she traveled far away to the Duchy of Konst. That feeling brought him closer to the daily lives of the Middleton people and gradually helped him shake off his seasickness.

Soon, Doctor Chester took a deep breath. He said, “Knight Commander Bunyan told me that after we arrive in Bethune today, he will go find that lady bishop. If all goes well, I will meet her tomorrow.”

Siles was also momentarily taken aback.

“If it’s convenient for your schedule,” Doctor Chester swallowed nervously, “Professor, please, you must accompany me.”

Siles looked at Doctor Chester in surprise, then agreed. He could imagine how nervous Doctor Chester felt and his desire to have a friend by his side; at the very least, it would ease some of the awkwardness.

Doctor Chester immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Smiling bitterly, he said, “Do you know how I feel right now?”

“How?”

“I’m just glad this lady bishop is a Middleton native,” Doctor Chester sighed sincerely. “If the distance were closer, I would probably feel even more awkward.”

Siles comforted him, saying, “That’s because you don’t know what her personality is like yet, so you feel nervous and uneasy. Perhaps the two of you will get along very well.”

“I hope so,” Doctor Chester said.

During their conversation, the others gradually appeared. Lorenzo sat down next to Siles, patting his face with a pained expression.

“What’s wrong?” Siles asked.

“It’s almost seven o’clock, yet I still want to sleep,” Lorenzo said. “That’s not a good thing.”

Doctor Chester said, “We haven’t reached Bethune yet, Lorenzo. You can let yourself sleep a bit longer.”

“Sleeping too much makes your face swell,” Lorenzo pointed out very seriously. “I slept from almost seven o’clock last night until seven this morning. It’s terrifying!”

Doctor Chester couldn’t help but laugh, saying, “You are seasick. It’s perfectly normal.”

Lorenzo muttered something along the lines of “this isn’t normal at all.” But soon, he wasn’t in the mood to complain anymore because he was ravenous and needed to eat some fish cakes quickly to feel better.

The morning passed quickly. They chatted in the dining area and set up a card game along the way—which, unsurprisingly, attracted other Middleton locals again.

However, the cards they had brought with them quickly ran out. Doctor Chester and Lorenzo had anticipated this possibility when they set out and deliberately brought a few extra decks, but the Noel Cards were taking the world by storm wherever they went, so their extra decks weren’t enough.

Thus, the remaining Middleton locals who wanted to play simply drew their own, cruder Fate Cards. The sailors, who already found ship life dull and boring, joined in immediately.

The morning flew by. Just as they were getting ready to eat lunch, Johnny appeared beside Siles. His expression was a bit serious as he said, “Professor, I’ve gathered quite a bit of information about Garrett.”

Siles didn’t rush to eat; instead, he walked out onto the deck with Johnny. The sea breeze howled, and waves crashed against the ship. By this time, they could faintly make out land in the distance.

Johnny took a deep breath. He said, “Some of the old sailors are very familiar with Garrett’s past, especially… Garrett’s father.”

Father?

This opening statement made Siles pause. Even though he had asked Johnny to inquire about Garrett’s past, he hadn’t expected it to immediately involve Garrett’s father.

He said thoughtfully, “I remember… Garrett was raised by his mother?”

“Yes.” Johnny nodded. “Some old sailors said his father salvaged some good things from the sea, then abandoned the mother and son to live a good life alone in Bethune. That was over thirty years ago, when his mother was pregnant with him.

“Because of this, his mother was very strict with him, probably hoping he wouldn’t follow in his father’s footsteps. At first, his mother didn’t even want him to become a sailor, unlike so many other young boys in Middleton.

“But Garrett was always very determined about this. He just wanted to become a sailor, and eventually a captain. Because of this, he had a falling out with his mother. He ran away from home, and from then on, his personality became increasingly twisted and obnoxious.

“As for the rest… people say that when Garrett first went to sea, his personality wasn’t this extreme. But later, as he went out to sea more and more times, he became increasingly mad, salvaging things from the sea almost without sleep or rest, believing he could find treasure.

“Therefore, the sailors on his ship also wanted to leave. You might not know this, but in Middleton, a ship, especially a large ship, is like a home to the crew.

“There were rumors that some sailors planned to leave after spring began. But it was exactly at this moment… that they met with an accident.

“It is said that the evening before last, when Garrett planned to set sail, he and the sailors had a fierce argument because the sailors were unwilling to go out to sea at that time. But Garrett was quite insistent, just as he had refused to listen to his mother’s arrangements and insisted on becoming a captain.

“In short, Garrett barely managed to convince them at the time. But no one knew what the situation would turn into after they set sail.”

Johnny’s words were likely mostly paraphrased from what others had said, inevitably mixing in some personal emotional factors. However, what truly piqued Siles’s interest was the matter of Garrett’s father.

Salvaged something from the seabed and then went to Bethune?

This seemed exactly the same as the story the merchant Ambrose had once mentioned on the train. And the time Garrett’s father left Kingsley was also over thirty years ago, which fit the story even more perfectly.

Siles couldn’t help but feel surprised by the coincidence.

Johnny paused slightly, as if recalling the information he had gathered, then said, “It’s said that Garrett is extremely obsessed with going to sea, spending the vast majority of the year out on the ocean.

“However, the treatment he provides his crew is also quite good. That’s why many sailors joined his fleet. But there’s also some news saying that people in his fleet often get injured, which is why crew members are frequently replaced.

“But no one knows what this kind of injury is all about. Maybe they just encountered some danger at sea? Regardless, the entire Fuliou Sea is full of danger.”

Siles nodded, and asked instead, “I remember that Garrett sells some antiques salvaged from the sea?”

“Antiques… perhaps you could call them that. Just some things from shipwrecks, or whatever else. But very few people truly strike it rich this way. The vast majority of sailors still make a living by fishing.”

Siles nodded in understanding. Tales of getting rich overnight always incited envy, but the probability of such a thing happening to oneself was minuscule.

He then asked about the issue that truly puzzled him: “Regarding Garrett’s father, have you heard any other news?”

Johnny was visibly stunned for a moment, but he then suddenly realized something and said, “You know some related insider information? His father… it seems not many people know about him.

“He was an ordinary sailor, but over thirty years ago, he was probably getting a bit older, which is why he married and had a child at that time. Young sailors usually aren’t willing to settle down so early.

“It seems it was precisely because of his family that he wanted to take a risk and search for some undersea treasure. No one knows exactly what he found. He seemed to have set out separately with some other people.

“…Wait, I remember now. An old sailor vaguely mentioned that someone wanted to come find something, so they hired this sailor and a fleet. Just like how you hired me and Isaac, it was roughly that kind of relationship.

“After that old sailor learned that Garrett was the only one on his ship to survive, he also said that Garrett’s experience was exactly the same as his father’s. That means…”

Johnny hesitated, unsure if he should voice that possibility.

However, Siles said knowingly, “That means, of the ship his father sailed on back then, his father was likely the only one to survive as well.”

Johnny nodded, sighing, not knowing what expression to show.

But he quickly asked curiously, “Professor, are you saying this because you’ve heard something?”

“On the train to Kingsley, I met a merchant who mentioned to me that over thirty years ago, a sailor in Kingsley salvaged something from the sea and then went to Bethune. It was this exact incident that spurred him to start a business,” Siles said.

Listening to this, Johnny suddenly said in shock, “That merchant…”

“Yes,” Siles said in a low voice. “It’s the merchant who was on Garrett’s ship.”

Johnny was surprised for a moment, and finally said, “A bizarre coincidence of fate.”

Siles nodded in agreement with his words.

Over thirty years ago, Garrett’s father went to sea with others, and in the end, only he returned; and over thirty years later, Ambrose boarded Garrett’s ship, and ultimately, only Garrett returned alone.

Fate seemed to be an endlessly turning circle, continuously replicating the past.

Ambrose was likewise swept into this coincidental fate of father and son; because of the father’s story, he embarked on his own destiny, and years later, because of that very destiny, he boarded the son’s ship, ultimately losing his life in the surging waves of fate.

The freezing sea breeze brushed past their cheeks. They both unconsciously fell silent for a moment. It was getting late, so Siles broke the silence, saying, “Let’s go back and eat first. Thank you for your help.”

“It’s nothing, Professor. Isaac and I were already quite curious about Garrett’s past anyway,” Johnny said. “He’s a legend, even if he isn’t a good person.”

After eating, Siles and Johnny together sought out this “legend”. Garrett Gielgud was sitting alone on the bow deck, expressionless.

It was unknown how long he had been sitting there; his exposed skin looked as if it were about to freeze into solid ice. Yet even so, he still hadn’t gone inside the cabin, as if disdainful of keeping company with the others, and as if observing something in the outside world.

When Siles and Johnny appeared before him, he revealed a very subtle expression, hovering somewhere between disdain and indifference.

Siles weighed his words, then said, “The compensation I want is what you’ve seen and heard regarding the Fuliou Sea.”

He had considered whether to ask more bluntly about Garrett’s father, but given Garrett’s vigilance and personal capabilities, Siles felt this might not be a good choice.

He was actually a bit puzzled by Garrett’s falling out with his mother.

Judging from Garrett’s willingness to offer compensation to Siles, who had saved him, the man at least valued equal exchange; there was no reason for him to be so harsh and heartless toward his own mother.

When Garrett chose to go against his mother’s wishes and stubbornly head out to the Fuliou Sea, how much of that was to uncover the truth behind his father’s accident back then? If his father truly went missing for some unknown reason, then his family might have known something about it.

Of course, this was just a slight suspicion in Siles’s heart. He always hoped to consider things thoroughly. Perhaps the greater possibility was simply that Garrett disregarded his mother’s grace in raising him.

Siles didn’t want to arouse Garrett’s vigilance, nor did he want to drag the translator Johnny entirely into this mess—after all, the encounters of Garrett and his father were highly likely to be somewhat related to the “shadow.”

The biggest problem existing between them was language. They could not communicate smoothly.

Regarding this, Siles also had a few thoughts. He wanted to ask if the puppets in the mysterious farm had a grasp of languages from all over the world. Since their prototypes were from six puppet shows, as theatrical actors, it was highly possible they knew different countries’ languages, right?

Anyway, he could try targeting Garrett’s dreams later on, or he could try gathering more information from that foreign lady bishop. Therefore, he decided that his questions this time shouldn’t be so aggressive and direct.

As it stood, Garrett would also be traveling with this ship to Bethune. In Bethune, perhaps everything would be answered.

Johnny relayed Siles’s question to Garrett. Garrett was visibly stunned for a moment, then revealed a baffled expression. He probably thought Siles would ask for money or some other valuables, yet Siles brought up the Fuliou Sea.

After a moment, as if realizing something, he muttered a sentence.

Johnny didn’t translate the sentence; he simply frowned and spoke a sentence in a stern tone.

Siles waited in silence.

Garrett rolled his eyes and said nothing more.

Taking this opportunity, Johnny explained, “He thought you were also interested in the treasure at the bottom of the Fuliou Sea.”

Siles thought to himself that he was quite interested, but not in its monetary value, rather its historical value. Of course, he was equally interested in other mist-shrouded regions.

But soon enough, Garrett began his account. He spoke a very long passage, then directed a sentence at Johnny before stopping.

Johnny had been listening intently, glancing at Siles occasionally, and then he translated Garrett’s long speech for Siles.

“He said there have always been rumors of the Fuliou Sea swallowing people’s lives, but he himself doesn’t believe that. He thinks the dangers of the Fuliou Sea are like any other ocean—the danger comes from what’s in the sea, not the sea itself.

“He has sailed the Fuliou Sea for over a decade and knows it very well. What people generally refer to as the Fuliou Sea is merely this area not obscured by the mist, which is actually much smaller than people imagine, so the sailors, crews, and captains are all very familiar with it.

“Uh… he says there are actually quite a few small islands in the Fuliou Sea, the vast majority being uninhabited isolated islands. A fleet like his that sails year-round will occasionally stop at some of these islands to rest for a period.

“Because of this, many ships are very clear about the geographical locations of these isolated islands. Many fleets have specific isolated islands where they regularly stop to rest, making it their territory. Sometimes, conflicts arise over this.

“…However, some islands are extremely dangerous.”

At this point, Johnny couldn’t help but pause, his expression looking somewhat surprised. Things that happened on the ocean were completely isolated from the land; if Siles hadn’t asked today, these things would probably never be known by outsiders.

Johnny continued, “The mist once shrouded a portion of those isolated islands, and that influence remains to this day. No one knows why those dangers exist on those islands… uh, he refuses to clearly state what those dangers actually are.”

Johnny couldn’t help but ask Garrett again in the Middleton language, but Garrett responded with an extremely impatient attitude. After a moment, Johnny shook his head, dropped the issue, and continued translating for Siles.

“Antiques also appear on the isolated islands, but far fewer than on the seabed. Moreover, if they head to those islands, they have to be prepared for both exploration and fleeing for their lives, whereas being out on the ocean is a bit easier.

“The antiques in the ocean are all left behind by shipwrecks, and sometimes they encounter bizarre things. But most of the time, a shipwreck is like a treasure trove.

“However, there are also mutated creatures in the ocean; these creatures will damage the valuable antiques, so salvaging antiques doesn’t make much money anymore.

“Occasionally, some people, like historians or other professionals, come to hire fleets for archaeological work, but an unspoken rule here is that they only take these people to shipwreck areas they’ve already visited.

“If these people want them to head into unexplored areas, the vast majority of captains will refuse. Captains will only explore within the scope they can control; even if they want to explore unknown areas, they won’t do it while under someone else’s employment.

“Though some desperadoes will accept such employment, that is very rare. In those situations, they might have already descended into madness.

“Uh, what else? Let me think.”

Johnny momentarily fell silent.

Siles continued to listen in silence. He thought to himself that since such an unspoken rule existed, it followed that the vast majority of ships setting out to sea would definitely choose absolutely safe, known routes.

…But even in this situation, both Garrett and his father—in two voyages spanning over thirty years—encountered danger. They were presumably sailing on relatively safe routes, yet the situation changed.

“…Right, routes.”

Johnny suddenly remembered a passage he had just forgotten.

Siles looked up at him.

Johnny said, “He just mentioned that routes like the one we’re on right now—freight or passenger routes from a specific port to a specific port—were established a long time ago and have never seen any accidents.

“But there are some other routes, like those to fishing areas, shipwreck salvage routes, and the old whale-watching routes or the glacier routes heading to the poles… these routes occasionally experience problems; it’s unknown whether it’s related to the mist.”

Siles nodded thoughtfully.

This meant that even though the Fuliou Sea wasn’t covered by mist, the lingering influence of the past still remained. The ocean was like the land; beneath its vast expanse, complex and dangerous puzzles were always dotted about.

He thought that the oceans of this world perhaps shared great similarities with the Ashless Lands in many respects. It was just that traveling far out to sea was a more difficult and profound issue, so compared to exploring the ocean, exploring the land was something the people of the Age of Mist were far more passionate about.

The sailors of Middleton were indeed doing this, but their nation was highly xenophobic and secretive, and they wouldn’t make their discoveries public. Therefore, the oceans of the Fisher World became even more shrouded in mystery.

Additionally, judging from various signs, the ocean seemed more directly related to the real issues of this world. The “shadow” seemed to appear upon the ocean, and people connected to the sea more frequently mentioned the “shadow.”

Johnny stopped talking, and Garrett looked at them before uttering a sentence.

Johnny translated, “He means if you have any questions, you can ask him now.”

Siles snapped back, pondered for a moment, and then said, “I have three questions. First, are there still residents active on the isolated islands of the Fuliou Sea, and how many?

“Second, are there any legends about whales around here? What kind of legends?

“Third, I know the merchant who went to sea with you; I know he had a wife and child and only came to Kingsley for business. I believe I might have the standing to ask, what exactly happened to you out on the sea?

“If it’s inconvenient to explain clearly, describing keywords related to it is fine too.”

Johnny then translated Siles’s three questions for Garrett.

Garrett listened a bit impatiently, but his expression gradually changed. He suddenly narrowed his eyes, sizing up Siles. After a moment, he unexpectedly said a brief sentence.

Johnny said, “He’s asking for your identity. Can I tell him?”

“Of course,” Siles said. “A literary history professor at Lamifa University.”

Johnny relayed this. He paused to think while translating “Lamifa University,” providing a brief explanation, likely clarifying that it meant the capital of the Duchy of Konst or something similar.

Garrett fell silent for a while, then revealed an extremely irritated and anxious expression. Ignoring Siles and Johnny, he grabbed his own hair like a trapped beast.

After a moment, he said something. Johnny said, “He says he will explain the first two questions first.”

Garrett took a deep breath, then spoke intermittently. It was obvious that Siles’s three questions had delivered a massive shock to him, though Siles didn’t know where this shock stemmed from.

…Just because Siles knew that merchant?

He didn’t think too much at this moment, because Johnny quickly began translating.

“He said… uh, there are indeed some residents living on the isolated islands; they might be natives, or they might have migrated there after the Age of Mist. He doesn’t know the exact reasons because those residents are very hard to communicate with.

“The numbers shouldn’t be very high; at least in his dozen or so years at sea, he’s only encountered them once or twice. Those residents are extremely xenophobic and have their own way of living… it seems they also have their own beliefs.

“However, he hasn’t had much contact with those residents, so he’s not very clear on what their daily lives are like. The crew members seem to consider encountering island residents as a terribly unlucky event.

“Once a ship has an established, uninhabited island for resting, they basically avoid these inhabited islands altogether, so they know even less about what the residents up there are doing.

“Regarding the whale legends… his account is that the land of Middleton originally had a fishing tradition, and some arrogant fishermen, to show off their fishing skills, would intentionally hunt those giant fish to prove their strength.

“At the same time, those large fish could provide their families with daily meals for a longer period. Whales were one type of large fish frequently mentioned. Some felt whale meat was delicious and massive in size, making it highly suitable for hunting and eating.

“…Of course, that was before the Age of Silence. After the mist covered the ocean, the fishermen couldn’t do that anymore. However, precisely because of those earlier traditions, people generally believe that whales symbolize abundance, delicacies, feasts, and so on.

“Uh, let me think… there are also some legends claiming a whale god exists in the sea, but these rumors are likely just baffling gossip with no credibility.”

Having said this, Johnny pondered for a moment and then said, “That’s it.”

He looked at Garrett again, waiting for him to provide the answer to the final question. Garrett’s gaze was gloomy, looking as though he were contemplating how to answer.

Siles also fell into deep thought. He thought, whales symbolize abundance, delicacies, and feasts?

…Did that mean Timiafa?

He suspected as much, but could not draw a definitive conclusion. Rather, he was even more surprised that Timiafa could now be tied to the ocean as well. The relationships between these Old Gods were truly intricate and complex.

However, if the “Island Whale” was a deity’s paradise, and given that Siles had yet to hear any news regarding Timiafa’s paradise, then it was not entirely impossible that the two were one and the same.

…But on the isolated islands in the deep sea, there were believers of the “shadow” making sacrifices to that unknown deity.

It should be said that the corresponding relationship between the Island Whale and the isolated deep-sea islands in reality was just like Akamara’s paradise to the dream bubbles, or the Temple of Belan to the shadow—they were all paradises and their derivatives, sharing obvious parallels.

If the Island Whale was truly Timiafa’s paradise, then why were the believers of the “shadow” currently occupying those isolated deep-sea islands?

Siles felt a slight chill down his spine because of this question. He realized this highly likely symbolized the deity’s stance and the true ending.

Right at that moment, Garrett suddenly spoke a sentence. After finishing, he walked away from the two men and sat down on the floor in a corner of the deck. He stared blankly into the air before him.

Siles turned sideways to watch him.

Johnny looked at the departing Garrett, then at Siles, hesitated for a moment, and finally said, “He just said… they encountered a ‘shadow beneath the sea,’ and then the sailors all went mad, so… the ship capsized.”

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