Goblin Heavy Dependence

Chapter 465 Twin Canyons
The Twin Oceans are a unique sea area located between islands in the southern part of the mainland.

Just like its "twin" name suggests, the seawater in this area is like a pair of twins, coexisting in different colors yet clearly distinct.

On one side, the sky is clear and transparent, reflecting the azure sky, while on the other side, it presents a brownish-red color that resembles rust and clay.

The two colors of seawater are incompatible, and there is not even a buffer zone where the colors mix. Instead, they are separated by a real dividing line, just like "oil" and "water," clearly divided into two parts.

Looking from high above, it's as if some invisible force has forcibly stitched the two completely different seas together, a bizarre and peculiar sight.

No one knows the reason for this natural phenomenon; the sea has been like this ever since the first adventurer from Barracuda Bay set foot here.

People inquired about the situation with islanders who have lived in the nearby waters for generations, and the accounts varied.

Some say it's a trace left by the ancient goddess of the sea, Amberi, and the god of sailors, Virko, during their battle; others say it's a powerful monster from the deepest part of the heavens buried on the seabed here, its blood staining the surrounding waters red.

Over the years, many geologists and oceanographers have hired adventurer fleets to come and investigate, concluding that the formation of that brownish-red sea area is due to the red clay and special iron-rich rock layers at its bottom.

However, no one has given a credible conclusion as to why these two completely different colors of seawater can be separated from each other in such a clear way. In the end, it can only be explained as a strange natural phenomenon caused by magical particles.

Out of interest in the local culture and environment, and out of caution for the upcoming mission, Xia Nan spent nearly a week on the ship asking his teammates about a lot of information about this area.

The Twin Oceans are not simply a collection of two different colors of seawater.

Its ecological environment, species system, and even natural phenomena are very different from those of ordinary sea areas.

First, due to the difference in density and composition of the seawater on both sides of the dividing line, sunlight from the sky will undergo a violent refraction at the dividing line.

From a distance, it looks like a slightly distorted, translucent, raised wall in the air.

Birds unfamiliar with the local environment often become disoriented and disoriented due to the presence of this invisible wall, plunging headfirst into the sea.

Secondly, perhaps long ago, before these changes occurred in this sea area, the animal ecology here was not significantly different from that of other places.

However, after thousands of years of isolation and evolution, the animals living in the Twin Oceans gradually evolved forms completely different from their original groups.

Just like the Charred-necked Spiral Shark that attacked the Blade of Vengeance before, and the strange ribbonfish in Xia Nan's hand now with completely different colored scales on its left and right sides.

Hmm... I've heard from others that this kind of exotic fish, which only appears in the Twin Oceans, has a very unique taste. Its flesh is firm, and after cooking, it takes on a salty taste unique to minerals, which makes Xia Nan feel a little excited.

Finally, due to the unique properties of the Twin Oceans seawater, the sea salt produced here has a deeper flavor, making it an excellent ingredient for marinating meat or adding to cooking, and it is highly sought after in the market; the minerals rich in the seabed make the ecology of this sea area particularly prosperous, nourishing countless marine creatures of different shapes and sizes.

Xia Nan put the unusual-colored ribbonfish in her hand into the wooden bucket, looked up, and gazed into the distance over the deck.

On the vast sea that seemed to stretch endlessly to the horizon, a straight and invisible line divided the entire world in two.

On one side is the deep blue of the ocean, and on the other side is a striking, intensely colored, rusty brownish-red that appears somewhat murky.

The air at the boundary line was subtly distorted, and the waves intertwined and collided here, splashing up transparent, reddish, crystalline water droplets.

A seagull cried as it flew overhead, its feathers not the usual pure white, but a brownish-red that seemed to reflect the color of the sea below, creating a gradient effect.

Especially when it flaps its wings and crosses the invisible dividing line between the sea and the water, the brownish-red seawater below makes its reddish-brown feathers seem to echo the water.

"Splash!"

Suddenly, a much louder sound of waves reached my ears.

Looking in the direction of the sound, one can see that at the boundary in the distance, the two colors of seawater are as if they are being squeezed inward by two invisible hands, colliding and flowing against each other to form a spectacular, stepped wave swell that stretches for several kilometers.

"This is a unique 'water ladder' phenomenon in the Twin Oceans."

As they approached their destination, Hein ended her meditation, stepped off the bow of the ship, and introduced the ship to Xia Nan, who came from the inland.

"I've heard scholars in Suoyu Bay analyze the specific principles. They say that the seawater on both sides forms a convection current due to the temperature difference between them during certain seasons."

Xia Nan wasn't a physicist in his previous life. He graduated many years ago and had forgotten most of the knowledge he learned in class. He wasn't sure if the other party's statement was reasonable.

But he wasn't the type to take things too seriously or get stuck on details, so he just listened to the druid's explanation.

To be honest, this so-called "water ladder" is indeed quite spectacular.

Especially for those who have been sailing at sea for nearly seven days and are tired of seeing the vast ocean scenery around them.

This sudden appearance, with its spectacular sight of red and blue intertwining and colliding, has already left a deep impression on Xia Nan.

Beside her, Hein didn't show much of her usual demeanor, appearing as if she had already gotten used to life at sea.

His emotions were also fluctuating, and he enthusiastically began to introduce the unique natural phenomena of the area to Xia Nan:

"Locals call the place where these two seas meet 'God's Boundary'."

"Occasionally, when a storm waterspout forms, the different environments on both sides create a unique two-colored spiral spectacle."

"I once saw it with my own eyes; half of it was dark rain cloud and the other half was red cumulus cloud. It was spectacular."

"I've heard that some lucky crew members have even seen a rainbow spanning two seas, and the colors were..."

He had only spoken halfway when a spirited shout suddenly came from the edge of the deck.

Alton, the halfling, was now standing on the railing, holding his fishing rod. His eyes, however, were drawn to something else as he excitedly called out to Xia Nan beside him.

"Hey, Xia Nan, look! It's a rainbow!"

My gaze followed that direction.

What came into view was a strange rainbow with bright colors and a clear outline, with its two ends falling on either side of the dividing line between the sea and the ocean.

It appears to have been similarly affected by the Twin Oceans seawater. Although the color changes on its surface are still clearly visible, the overall color has a faint reddish tinge, which is quite rare.

Hein shut her mouth and remained silent.

The Blade of Vengeance continued its voyage.

Clearly experienced in navigating this area, the Blade of Vengeance did not rashly venture into the reddish-brown inland sea, rich in minerals and clay. Prolonged navigation in such waters could damage the ship's hull.

The Blade of Vengeance had just survived an attack by a swarm of Helicopteran sharks and had only undergone temporary, simple repairs, so they needed to be extremely careful. At the same time, they naturally avoided the convection currents near the boundary line, lest they affect the ship's balance and sailing efficiency.

Instead, it remained parallel to the dividing line and continued sailing forward.

Soon, as the crew busily prepared on deck, the Blade of Vengeance adventure fleet finally saw their destination:

——Twin Canyons.

Right there on that straight dividing line that bisects the Twin Oceans, amidst the collision and interweaving of brownish-red and azure blue, lies a massive island.

Like a rock that fell from the sky and cracked open, the island was also cut in two by the "divine dividing line".

At this moment, the islanders' legend that the "Twin Oceans" originated from a war between gods seemed to be strongly confirmed.

After all, Xia Nan could hardly imagine what kind of geological movement would have caused the island to be divided into two halves like it is now.

Even more coincidentally, the reason it is called a "canyon" is that the huge ravine that runs perpendicular to the coastline from one end of the island to the other coincides perfectly with the dividing line between the Twin Oceans.

It was as if an invisible blade had sliced ​​the island in two along this "divine dividing line."

The black cliffs rise abruptly from the ground, casting towering, deep shadows on the sea, while the other side is bathed in golden sunlight, creating a striking contrast.

Hearing the commotion on the deck, Lorraine walked out of the cabin with a cigarette in her mouth, glanced at the Twin Valleys in the distance, then turned around and took the rudder from the helmsman.

"Lower the sails!"

"It's the older of the twin warriors, Renn!" he shouted.

The sails, which had been billowing outwards in the sea breeze, gradually deflated amidst the sailors' shouts. The speed of the Blade of Vengeance slowly decreased, but its maneuverability increased significantly.

With a forceful twist of her arm, Lorraine abruptly turned the rudder northward, causing the bow, which had been parallel to the dividing line, to suddenly shift and head straight towards the direction of the ocean current.

There are beaches around Twin Valleys, but approaching them rashly will only result in getting stranded.

The island's pier is built deep in the canyon, and can only be reached by going deep along the dividing line.

"Boom!"

The deck beneath my feet creaked and groaned under the impact of the waves, as if I were being swept into a whirlpool. The violent convection currents that stretched for thousands of kilometers could not be withstood by such a small wooden boat.

The Blade of Vengeance was violently rocked and tossed about by the waves.

If the weather hadn't remained clear and the sea beyond the dividing line hadn't remained calm, Xia Nan would have thought they had once again stumbled into a storm.

Fortunately, before Lorraine took the helm, the crew had made preparations in advance, wrapping hemp ropes around their waists to secure their bodies and belongings in the cabin, thus preventing any unnecessary damage.

As they continued forward, the Twin Valleys, which had been in the distance, gradually revealed their towering and majestic appearance as they drew closer.

The rock walls on both sides are extremely high, and the surface of the dark gray sea rock is smooth and covered with moist moss and lichen. Occasionally, you can see streams flowing from the rock walls into the sea, making a clear and cool sound.
The sunlight was quietly blocked, the air temperature dropped sharply, and the shadow cast by the cliff wall gave people a strange sense of gloom.

The seawater was still two-toned, but after entering the canyon, the colliding convection currents were no longer as intense as before, and were covered by the waves generated by the stern of the boat.

The atmosphere on deck, which had been exceptionally lively due to the appearance of the Twin Oceans, gradually cooled down. The crew members no longer discussed the spectacular scenery before them with the same fervor as before, but instead whispered among themselves.

The adventurers' behavior was somewhat unusual.

Xia Nan and Alton were newcomers who had just boarded the ship and were unaware of the situation.

But Hein and Sasha had inexplicably serious expressions on their faces.

One by one, they leaned against the railings at the edge of the deck, looking out; or they came directly to the bow of the ship and gazed into the distance.

Noticing the gazes of the group, Xia Nan looked in that direction.

On both sides of the cliff face ahead, dozens of feet above sea level, caves and tunnels were densely carved out.

Layer upon layer, looking up from the bottom of the canyon, it resembles a giant honeycomb made of rock.

Some of the cave entrances have rope and iron rod ladders hanging down to wooden platforms that extend outwards below, where fishing nets and clothes can be seen drying.
Some were built on the cliff face using lightweight yet sturdy wood, with pavilions suspended in the air and connected by simple but practical covered bridges.

From time to time, you can see bridges made of suspension cables and wooden planks emerging from the caves, spanning the canyon and reaching the other side.

Clearly, the islanders here have developed their own culture and unique way of life.

Xia Nan has always been interested in the customs and culture of this other world.

But right now doesn't seem to be the time for his curiosity.

The caves on both sides of the rock face are densely packed with traces of human life.

The clothes still drying in the sun and the flickering flames indicate that a large number of people have been living here recently.

But now, apart from the whispers of the deck crew and the creaking of the waves against the ship's planks, Xia Nan could not hear any of the hustle and bustle that should fill a human settlement.

All that remained was deathly silence.

The faint smell of blood that lingers deep in the humid air, even after the raging sea winds through the canyon, seems to proclaim what happened here.

"All personnel on high alert!"

Lorraine's low shout, coming from the direction of the ship's rudder, was so clear at this moment.

The whispers on deck abruptly ceased, and the crew members, their expressions focused and tense, gripped their weapons tightly.

Lorraine tossed the burnt-out cigarette butt into the sea, gripped the helm firmly with both hands, her sharply defined jawline slightly raised, her gaze upward.

Her fiery red hair fluttered in the wind, and her brownish-red eyes reflected a wooden bridge that had completely broken off and was now dangling to one side of the cliff in the distance.

His expression was serious.

(End of this chapter)