Sail Shadows in the Sea of ​​Fog

Chapter 205 The Returns on the First Investment
A sea of ​​despair, yet another sea of ​​despair.

When the waves of the Mad Wolf crashed onto the decks of the Valkyrie and the Thorn once again, the crew had calmed down considerably; this was the life they were more familiar with.

On the Thorn, the harptail fishmen, led by Tinissa, were playing the Wind-Stopping Hymn with great enthusiasm.

Inside the ship's wheelhouse, Shenba, who had been assigned to assist in steering, loudly sang the lyrics to the hymn of calming the wind, following the tune coming from the cabin.

The only purpose of this song and piece is to combat seasickness caused by wind and waves. This is also a piece that Kotoo Fishman Band has only recently mastered.

In contrast, the scene in the Valkyrie's conference room was quite different.

Despite the repeated rocking like a drugged baby crib, Yun Ji and Yun Lan, sitting across the long table, were unaffected even without singing the Ode to the Extinguishing Wind.

At this moment, the two intelligent and knowledgeable girls were busy analyzing the more than one hundred treasure maps laid out on the long table.

They not only need to solve as many of the obvious puzzles on these hundred-plus treasure maps as possible, but also mark the locations of the corresponding treasures after solving them, so as to select some successful treasures and prevent them from getting no real gains.

Downstairs in the conference room, on the throne in the captain's office, Captain Cheng Lang was snoring loudly. At most, he would be gently woken up every hour by the magic mirror, then wipe his drool, glance at the metal bowl in his arms, and gesture with his hand to indicate the direction the bow of the small boat in the metal bowl was pointing.

Don't think this is an easy job. Since Cheng Lang is the only one who can see the small boat in the metal bowl, he won't be able to get a good night's sleep unless the boat stops.

Even so, the two ships plunged headlong into the Sea of ​​Despair without hesitation—with the ghost ships hanging far behind them, never daring to approach but never leaving, and instead growing ever more numerous.

Inside the Thorn's cabins, oak barrels were filled with all sorts of mushrooms, some dangerous, some delicious, and some both.

In the middle of these mushroom-shaped barrels, Yavso, dressed in a sea serpent combat suit, carefully dripped her personally prepared nutrient solution into each oak barrel, then immediately sealed the cork stopper of the inlet tightly.

Amidst the turbulence created by the waves, the mushrooms growing in these mushroom barrels are either harvested and sent to a nearby boiler room to be dried and prepared for the kitchen to become delicacies, or they are kept in the dark and the dangerous spores are simply shaken and vibrated to fall into a small bottle stuck at the bottom of the oak barrel.

"Captain, has our course changed?" In the Valkyrie's captain's conference room, the Magic Mirror woke Cheng Lang up once again.

"I"

Cheng Lang yawned involuntarily, then looked down at the metal bowl he was holding. "It's veering a bit off course. Correct the course, right rudder 20 degrees!"

"Correct course, rudder to right 20!"

At the same time, the Silver Queen, piloting the Valkyrie, and Shenba, piloting the Thorn, repeated the command transmitted from the mirror in unison, while slowly turning the rudder.

"Are those dead rats still following behind?" Cheng Lang asked, yawning.

“It’s always been there,” the man in sunglasses said respectfully, “and it seems there are some underwater as well.”

"Unfortunately, the Nightmare Abyss left with the Fresh Fruit Ship."

Cheng Lang sighed regretfully, "Even if Yuan Yan wasn't here, our two ships would have plenty of ways to destroy the ever-increasing number of ghost ships that followed."

But this will inevitably delay the journey, and more importantly, no one knows if those ghost ships are also hiding some tricks waiting for them to become impatient.

So in other words, even if Yuan Yan were here, he might still not make a move.

On the contrary, he was also waiting, waiting for a perfect opportunity, or rather, waiting for an absolutely calm wind belt where even ghost ships would lose power.

Are they still conducting research?

As Cheng Lang spoke, he locked the metal bowl in his arms into a drawer, then stepped into the cabin.

Still studying those treasure maps

The magic mirror, following closely behind, replied, "These past few days, Princess Yunlan and Miss Yunji have solved the riddles of 13 treasure maps."

"Anyone going the same way?" Cheng Lang asked.

"Unfortunately, not really."

The Magic Mirror paused for a moment and then said, "The direction we're heading in is a very desolate one for the Sea of ​​Despair. There isn't even a single island in that direction for a long stretch of the voyage."

"How many degrees is it different from the direction of the scorching sand sea?"

As Cheng Lang spoke, he had already begun selecting ingredients for the next meal in the cargo hold, which was his only job as captain at the moment—and he had to take it from the Magic Mirror.

"Exceeded 40 degrees Celsius"

The Magic Mirror answered respectfully, and while doing so, it also retrieved a wooden box to serve as a shopping cart for its captain.

"Then we'll have to deal with it when we return."

Cheng Lang didn't take it seriously and put the few perishable vegetables he randomly selected into the wooden box that the magic mirror was holding.

By the time he had made his way through the cargo hold to the galley in the forecastle, the waves outside the window had visibly subsided, but a dark cloud had appeared above the thick fog that shrouded the two ships.

He casually manipulated two invisible whips to firmly bind his legs to the floor, and then another whip hung down from above his head and wrapped around his waist. Cheng Lang then began to take on the role of a cook.

Thanks to the recent large supply of fresh mushrooms and dried mushrooms from Yafuso, today he plans to make a two-in-one version of braised chicken with mushrooms and noodles, based on his memory.

With the help of the magic mirror, the roosters kept on the ship died one after another and were cooked, and the spacious kitchen was filled with an increasingly rich aroma.

Unfortunately, the wind was blowing from behind, so those tails munching on salted meat and dried bread couldn't see them, let alone smell them.

By the time he had delivered dinner to the conference room and the Thorn with the help of the magic mirror, the waves on the sea had completely calmed down, but dark clouds had completely covered the sky, and then a torrential downpour began.

Although the presence of the ship's bottles meant they didn't lack fresh water, no one would complain about having too much water while sailing at sea. Even someone as simple-minded as Shenba went up to the deck to scrub himself in celebration.

"Captain, I have good news."

Just as Cheng Lang began to enjoy the dinner he had cooked himself, Yafso's image appeared on the wall of the conference room.

"What good news?" Cheng Lang asked.

"Fresh Fruit is back."

Yavso said with a beaming smile, "Not only did they return, but they also brought back many letters and gifts."

"So fast?" Cheng Lang asked in surprise.

"The ghost ship in its undead form has no physical body, so it is naturally fast, even faster than the Faithful."

The Silver Queen, who was in charge of pouring drinks for everyone, explained gently, "It can go as fast as the wind blows."

"Please bring all those things, including Yafso, Ms. Silver Queen," Yun Lan politely requested.

"Please wait"

As the Silver Queen spoke, she vanished without a trace. A moment later, she carried Yavso from the next ship directly into the conference room.

"I brought everything."

Like a postman, Yafso pulled out a series of envelopes and spread them out, saying, "Inside are letters from Mr. Shengge to Sister Yunji and Brother Shengba. There are also letters from Miss Yunhai and Mr. Senfa to the Captain, and a letter from King Lika to His Highness Yunlan."

"A letter from my father?"

Yun Lan exclaimed in surprise and rushed over, taking away a gold envelope printed with a drunken golden rose.

"Here's another package from Rica, also for you."

As Yafso spoke, she took out a not-so-large wooden box and pushed it to Yun Lan, then distributed the envelopes to the others.

"Mr. Shengge will be the owner of the main store for the bacteria in Pirate City, and my family's inn is located at the main store address."

Yun Ji spoke first, "Each strain of bacteria costs only 1 gold coin, but to dismantle a ghost ship, you need at least 50 strains."

"Isn't this just a gold coin bullet?" Cheng Lang thought to himself, but he didn't rush to open the two letters that belonged to him.

"In addition, the countries of the continent, including the Elf Duchy, have sent emergency delegations to Pirate City to discuss the business of the fungi."

Yun Ji glanced at the letter in her hand and said, "Yun Hai will form a fungal transport fleet to be responsible for traveling between the mainland and the pirate city."

The proceeds from each transaction will be cashed out to the Brotherhood fleet. In addition, Pirate City has begun to buy up Ghost Ship cores on a large scale, with each core worth at least 50 gold coins.

These collected ship cores will all be used to feed the Abyss Nightmares aboard the Fresh Fruit. Finally, Mr. Shenge requested an increase in the supply.

At this point, Yun Ji pushed the envelope to Cheng Lang, saying, "That's all the contents of my letter."

Take a look at these two letters.

Cheng Lang pushed the two unopened letters beside him over, then picked up a not-so-successful noodle and put it in his mouth.

"Mr. Senfa's letter says that the Brotherhood fleet was well received at the Port of Rica Furnace. At the same time, the Royal Gun Foundry will replace all the Brotherhood fleet's ships with the latest model of naval guns."

Yun Ji glanced at Yun Lan, who was hiding by the French windows with her knees drawn up, and then continued, "He also confirmed the contents of Mr. Shenge's letter. He has received the payment for the first transaction, and the rest of the letter is full of thanks, blessings, and assurances."

“Let’s see what Yun Hai said in his letter,” Cheng Lang said, already gnawing on his favorite chicken feet.

"Yun Hai's letter said..."

Yun Ji cleared her throat. "The royal family of the Elf Duchy has regained power and revoked the banishment of the Dark Elves. They have also announced that they will send Dark Elves to sea to fight against the Ghost Fleet."

At this point, Yun Ji gave Cheng Lang a strange look. "The letter said that the Elven royal family hopes to cooperate with the Valkyrie."

"Cooperate with us?"

Cheng Lang looked up at Yun Ji, "What kind of collaboration?"

"Searching for the seeds of the sacred, evergreen tree"

Yun Ji examined the letter in her hand strangely. "Yun Hai said in the letter that the Elven royal family received a prophecy that the seed of the Verdant Sacred Tree has appeared, and they have high hopes!"

"What do you hope for?" Yafso and Shenba asked instinctively.

“These pointy-eared creatures hope we can find the seeds of the sacred tree of the verdant forest and then send them back to the Elven Duchy.”

Yun Ji scoffed, "Did the dwarves use their brains as chamber pots?"

"Now I finally understand why the elves are a landlocked country," Cheng Lang quipped, making even the Silver Queen chuckle with a sarcastic remark.

“Indeed, if the Thorn Ship is that seed, then the fact that the Elven Duchy has no port makes sense.”

Having finished reading the letter, Yun Lan wiped her eyes and returned. "It seems the nobles of the Elf Kingdom still want to grow their silver hair and pointed ears back."

"Do you have any good news?" Yun Ji asked bluntly.

“My father said that the royal family of the Elf Kingdom has become idiots after being kept in captivity for hundreds of years.”

Yun Lan shook the gold-flecked letter in her hand. "He also predicted that within a few months at most, a new black-haired king would appear in the Elf Kingdom."

"Maybe it's someone we know," Cheng Lang said with a smile.

"My father is very grateful for the war machines you gifted to Rica."

As Yun Lan spoke, she opened the wooden box and pushed it toward Cheng Lang, who was still enjoying his meal. "As a token of my gratitude, my father sent seven ship bottles filled with fruit wine and a special order from the Royal Guard of Lika. In addition, he also gave you three substitute puppets."

"Looks like you've already broken even on your first investment?" Cheng Lang asked with a smile, wiping the grease from the corner of his mouth.

"Even that war machine called Despair is worth at least five ship bottles, so your first investment didn't yield a very high return."

Yun Lan smiled and said, "But don't worry, your profits will only increase from now on."

"I will also increase my investment."

Cheng Lang thought for a moment and said, "Yun Ji, Shen Ba, and Ya Fu Suo, you three can share the substitute puppet. I don't need that kind of thing."

"I probably won't need it, so I'd better give it to Grandpa Gerta."

Shenba said honestly, "My combat power only increases when I am seriously injured. That puppet will only hinder me from wielding my scythe."

"up to you"

Cheng Lang, who was used to letting his subordinates roam freely, said indifferently, "Let's keep the seven ship bottles as the fleet's public property for the time being on the Thorn. And what's with that transfer order?"

My father wants me to return home.

Yun Lan shrugged. "They probably want me to retrace the path that the fake princess helped me find through trial and error."

"Are you planning to go back?" Yun Ji asked with a smile.

"My adventure has only just begun!"

As Yun Lan spoke, she had already sat back down in her original seat. "Although I do want to go back and see my father and mother, I don't intend to go back empty-handed."

"So, the Star Sea Continent?" Cheng Lang asked.

"Isn't this a nice gift?"

Yun Lan asked back matter-of-factly, seemingly not finding the gift too expensive or impractical.

“Really good”

Cheng Lang nodded. He also seemed to think that the gift was too expensive or impractical, and instead was full of anticipation and confidence.

(End of this chapter)