My left and right hemispheres fight each other.

"What does that mean?" Cao Hui exclaimed, breaking the silence.

"What...does this mean?" Ge Yan asked with some difficulty.

"Is Ge Yan's premonition of the parade because he keeps repeating the title of captain?" Chen Jing gave his answer.

"Is this a reminder that the mysterious captain's real name is important?" Chang Song expressed his speculation.

Chen Jing's eyes flickered; he had grasped a crucial fragment of memory.

"We know very little about this captain. All I know is that his surname is Vaughn," Ge Yan said, then, noticing his companions' expressions, added, "Have you forgotten? Last night, an old woman, presumably his lover, the ship's priestess, said 'Captain Vaughn.' Do you remember now?"

Chen Jing lowered his eyelids and calmly said, "This is likely a misunderstanding. If it's telling us that the captain's real name is important, why use a string of his pseudonyms? There's no necessary logical connection between them."

"Premonitions about a protest are always vague," Chang Song said, quite experienced.

"Then what's with Chang Song's prompts? The two sentences seem completely unrelated, even contradictory." Ge Yan was puzzled and had to change the subject.

"My personal opinion: The words used in the introduction of the two sentences are 'please' and 'need,' which are suggestions. However, the words used in the introduction are strong warnings such as 'cannot' and 'must.' This may be telling us that closing our eyes in the dark and being quiet in the absence of light are ways to avoid danger. But things can happen at night, and we must go out and find out the truth." Chen Jing did not hold back and explained in detail.

"We might be able to travel with our eyes closed. Although this would make it more difficult to remain quiet, it's not entirely impossible," Chang Song said, his expression shifting.

"Absolutely impossible." Chen Jing sneered, disdainfully saying, "How do you think I could have detected someone approaching the infirmary at night? This pirate ship is soaked with moisture everywhere; stepping on the floor or touching the walls will inevitably produce subtle sounds."

Upon hearing this, Chang Song gave Chen Jing a deep look, but offered no further comment.

"Sigh." Ge Yan sighed bitterly, looking down. He said in a dejected tone, "If Chen Muqing's information is correct, and our premonition about the march really does point to something inexplicable and unrelated, then this mission world is going to be very difficult."

A moment of silence fell over everyone. Suddenly, Roseweather sobbed softly and accused, "If, if you had listened to Sister Muqing's advice earlier and activated your premonitions of the parade, and obtained so many clues, with Sister Muqing's abilities, she wouldn't have died so mysteriously, and we wouldn't be in such despair."

"By the way, Cao Hui, what about your premonition about the parade? What hints did it give you?" Chang Song broke the oppressive atmosphere first and asked Cao Hui, who was curled up on the ground.

Chen Jing noticed that Cao Hui's pupils were twitching incessantly. Upon hearing Chang Song's interrogation, he immediately shuddered, then forced a smile and said, "Me? I would never do that."

"What? What time do you think it is? If we don't work together to think this through, we might all die here!" Chang Song was furious. He grabbed Cao Hui and forced him to look him in the eye.

Cao Hui roused himself, shoved Chang Song aside, and looked at Chen Jing and Ge Yan with a cold smile. He said sternly, "Why aren't you questioning this obviously problematic newcomer who's full of flaws? Instead, you're criticizing me?"

"I'm not keeping you company any longer!" Cao Hui flicked his sleeves, turned and left, giving Rossweisse, who hadn't entered the room, a fierce glare.

"Sigh, what should I do now?" Ge Yan asked himself blankly.

"You guys go back to the deck first, don't let the boatswain come looking for us, it'll be hard to explain. I'll go use my identity to try my luck and see if I can find any clues," Chen Jing said coldly.

"That's all we can do for now." Ge Yan nodded and quickly left with Chang Song.

Before leaving, Roseweiser glanced at Chen Jing furtively. She seemed about to say something but ultimately remained silent and walked away quietly.

Chen Jing stuck out his tongue to moisten his dry lips, and then drank the red wine that the chef had brought him in one gulp.

"What should I do? I have a feeling that Cao Hui is unwilling to start the parade." A thought echoed in my mind.

Chen Jing calmly savored the moment for a while, then, after a moment of contemplation, said jokingly, "How could that cowardly piece of trash not have a premonition of the parade? He already received the warning long after he fell to the ground, his blood cooled, and his fear subsided."

"What? Then why didn't he say anything? Even if he thinks you have a problem, shouldn't we work together in a time like this?"

Chen Jing raised a finger and held it up in front of his eyes, both to signal silence and to instruct: "First of all, it's not that he thinks I have a problem; it's that they all know I have a problem, they're just holding back. Do you really think they're all fools?"

He held up another finger: "Secondly, you're right. Anyone who isn't a fool should know that the current situation requires everyone's cooperation. That's why they're choosing to hold back for now. The most powerful, the one who's always the first to shoulder the burden, is dead. Any organization, as long as it can withstand external pressure, will find that most of its internal problems cease to be problems. Any issue can be discussed before addressing the pressure of life and death. That's the correct choice made by someone who can weigh the pros and cons."

"Besides foolishness, there is another thing that can break this choice."

"What?"

Chen Jing's eyes flashed: "The premonition of the protest he received gave him a hint that..."

"The walls have ears, or..."

"The traitor is among us."

Chen Xin was immediately terrified, and he quickly reviewed everyone he remembered.

Chang Song, Ge Yan, Roseweiser, and even...

The three pirates are still lying or sitting in the corner, silently watching.

Chen Jing walked on nonchalantly, and with a hint of disgust but still a smile, tore a piece of coarse cloth from a pirate: "Borrow this."

Faced with Dr. Chen's smile, the pirate was taken aback at first, and then simply said with gratitude, "You saved my life, sir."

"I remember you. You're the guy who got carried into the sea by the fish." Chen Jing nodded.

"Thank you for remembering me, Jill. My name is Jill." Jill smiled and extended her palm.

"Chen Xin." Chen Jing shook hands with him insincere enthusiasm, then immediately turned around, used the coarse cloth as a pad in his hand, lifted the wooden door covered with meat paste, and dragged it under an iron bed.

"What are you going to do next?" Chen Xin asked, snapping out of her daze.

"Go check out the captain's cabin, and maybe the priest's cabin too, and then decide whether to tell the captain about her body privately, or just expose it." Chen Jing clapped his hands triumphantly and whispered.

"Dr. Chen, if you need us, we'll keep this a secret for you," Jill said, staring at Chen Jing, who was standing there seemingly lost in thought, for a moment before volunteering.

"Thank you," Chen Jing said kindly and gratefully.

……

After lunch, and after giving the three pirates a thorough check-up and some treatment, Chen Jing stepped into the passageway, walked up the wooden ladder, and arrived at the upper deck.

"The scorching sun is truly burning the skin," Chen Jingwen remarked in a refined manner, trying to shield his skin from the stinging heat with the back of his hand.

"Chen Jing, did you really faint from the pain last night?" Chen Xin asked again as Chen Jing walked to the stern of the ship.

Chen Jing had already explained the whole story to him during lunch.

"Not bad," Chen Jing said calmly.

"You actually... can do that too?"

"I suspect, I might even have died once already," Chen Jing said, a glint in his eyes.

"What?"

"First, Chen Muqing, who lingered in the passageway, died, and then it was my turn. This is the consequence of not closing your eyes in the dark and not finding peace in the absence of light." Chen Jing narrowed his eyes and stared intently at the sun through his fingers: "This is also why I secretly used a drug mixed with hallucinogenic ingredients to disinfect the wounds of those three pirates."

"what?"

"Remember what I told you? That Dr. Edens grabbed my hand?" Chen Jing asked, but before anyone could answer, he continued speaking to himself:

"The death process is the breakdown of the body's programming and the tearing and stripping away of consciousness and memory."

"This irreversible and irresistible force caused Chen Muqing and me to perish in extreme pain."

"Perhaps it's because my memories are too complex, or because my will is too strong? Ha, of course, it's more likely that you and I were originally one. This move killed me, but not you. In any case, since the memory that dominates the body was not completely erased, the decay of the body stopped, and you and I were thus spared."

"And I have returned through your will, so I clearly remember every feeling I had at that time."

"Before I completely broke down and lost all willpower, I clearly felt Dr. Edens release the hand that was holding you and me."

"This means that before Chen Muqing died, there must have been a period of struggle in which his will could still barely control his body."

"What does this mean?" Chen Xin murmured.

"What do you think a top-notch swimmer, an exceptional individual, would do before they face death?" Chen Jing suddenly asked.

"Was it a method she believed would definitely salvage her situation? Or was it a way for her to defy the system and stubbornly leave a message?"

"Anything is possible." Chen Jing suddenly stopped reviewing his thoughts. He frowned slightly, as if he had thought of something, but it was not a coherent thought and could not be unraveled.

"Once those three pirates are either unconscious or hallucinating, I want to see what marks are left on that wooden door, and I also want to ask Dr. Edens what information he knows."

After clarifying the plan, Chen Jing greeted the helmsman on the command deck and then walked to the core cabin at the stern.

Entering from here, the first thing you see is the meeting and council cabin, then the officers' quarters and the captain's cabin, and further down is the room reserved for the stargazing priest.

Chen Jing calmed himself down and pushed open the cabin door, which was made of exquisite and luxurious wood.

Behind the door, someone was pulling it back.

Chen Jing pretended to be flustered and took a step forward to steady himself before finally looking closely at the person in front of him.

This was a short old woman whose face was covered in black mud, who wore a black and purple coat and a large hood, and whose dark pupils were filled with cold, icy eyes.

"Priest!" Chen Jing exclaimed in surprise, hastily giving a salute.

The old woman gave Chen Jing a cold look, and with a dry, hoarse voice, she asked, "You're the captain's newly appointed doctor, Dr. Chen?"

"Yes...that's right. I didn't expect you to know me." Chen Jing stammered, then nodded with a hint of surprise.

"That old blind man, Edens, is ill. Right now, you're probably the only doctor in the entire fleet under the captain who can practice medicine," the old woman continued in her sinister tone.

"It is my honor to serve the captain," Chen Jingli said, standing tall and proud.

"Hehehe, his eye for talent is still so good." The old woman finally laughed, her laughter sounding like two pieces of iron rubbing together, mocking and unpleasant: "Dr. Chen, I heard that there are several wounded on the Jin Cang and Hei Yuan ships, and the captain is looking for you."

"The captain and I are indeed of one mind; I was just looking for him too." Chen Jing's expression brightened with joy.

The old woman gave him a strange look and walked out of the cabin.

Chen Jing watched her walk away, and just as he was about to turn back, she suddenly spoke: "Dr. Chen, cherish your life. If you die, the captain might be heartbroken for you."

Chen Jing nodded as if he understood, but the old woman didn't say anything more and went down the deck.

"What is her intention?" Chen Xin asked, somewhat puzzled.

"I don't know, but my bad feeling is getting stronger." Chen Jing glanced at the place where the old woman walked down the deck a few more times, but finally turned around and went into the stern cabin.

With the rather heavy hatch closed, Chen Jing looked around.

In stark contrast to the cramped and simple lower decks, the captain's cabin at the stern appears spacious and well-organized.

The entire cabin is made of dark hardwood, and the wood grain, which has been eroded by sea winds and moisture, is still clearly engraved. There is also the arched porthole that Chen Jing had been longing for, which allows him to take in the sea behind the ship.

The cabin is simply furnished yet elegant. A large desk, resembling a giant dining table, is placed in the center of the reception room. On the desk are a brass sextant and a nautical chart, and next to it stands a half-person-high brass nautical clock, its ticking sound steady and powerful.

On both sides were luxurious leather sofas, typical of pirate ships, surrounded by a ring of small wooden tables. At the windows and doors were high leather chairs embroidered with gold and silver patterns, resembling royal chairs.

Chen Jing glanced to the side and saw a small door leading to the inner room, which was the captain's private space—the core of the entire Bauhinia ship, the captain's cabin.

Chen Jing walked over silently. Through the salty, damp smell mixed with spices emanating from the door, he knew that there must be another porthole in the captain's cabin.

"Knock knock knock." Chen Jing knocked on the wooden door.

"Who?" Isolde asked in a low voice.

Chen Jing frowned, but quickly relaxed and cheerfully said, "It's me, Captain, Chen Xin."

"Come in, Dr. Chen," Isolde said in a light, almost conscious tone.

Chen Jing opened the door, revealing a carefully crafted smile, but no matter how skillfully he concealed it, a fleeting look of surprise inevitably appeared in his eyes.

At this moment, he felt a chill run through his body and mind; an extreme coldness shot from his spine into his brain, giving him a sense of utter terror.

Fortunately, he accepted it very quickly, and the astonishment in his eyes subtly turned into surprise. He didn't move his body, but involuntarily leaned back: "The... Captain."

Isolde sat behind a dark wooden table, with an ornate high chair behind her, adorned with gold and silver.

But standing straight beside him was Chen Muqing, who was wearing a long, dark coat and fitted riding breeches, and also a gold-trimmed scarf!

She took in Chen Jing's expression and gave him a mysterious smile.

"This lady seems to be from the same country as you, Dr. Chen. She also has the surname Chen and her given name is Mu Qing. Do you know each other?" Isolde asked.

"We've met a few times," Chen Jing quickly nodded.

"That's good. It seems I don't need to introduce you." Isolde smiled, resting his chin on his hands and said, "At night, when the unique miracle of the Blessed Sea appears, I will announce it on the deck. From today onwards, Chen Muqing will be my quartermaster. Dr. Chen, you'd better hurry up and cultivate a good relationship with her, so that your medical room can get more drug allocations, and perhaps even get the chance to start a fire."

Waves crashed against the giant ship, causing the entire vessel to sway slightly. Chen Jing, feeling weak, couldn't keep his footing and his legs went limp. He spoke in a trembling voice, "Quartermaster, please have mercy."

"Hahahaha!" Isolde laughed heartily twice, then waved his hand: "I'm just joking, Dr. Chen. If you need anything, just let me know."

"Dr. Chen, if you need help, I will do my best to assist you within reasonable limits." Chen Muqing leaned forward slightly.

"Enough of the small talk." With his back to the golden light streaming in through the porthole, Isolde's expression was almost entirely shrouded in shadow: "Tomorrow morning, the Golden Warehouse and the Black Kite will dock at the main ship. They will come to hand over supplies and the wounded. I would appreciate it if Dr. Chen could make the trip and help our crew recover."

"It is my duty," Chen Jing returned the greeting.

Isolde nodded in satisfaction, then suddenly asked, "By the way, why did you come to see me?"

"Captain, the door to the infirmary is broken. I'd like to replace it with a new one," Chen Jing said, changing his original plan.

Isolde turned her head and glanced at Chen Muqing.

Chen Muqing stepped forward and said softly, "This afternoon, I can take the carpenter to make repairs."

"No rush, Quartermaster. If you get too close to Dr. Chen, I'll also be troubled." Isolde smirked.

Chen Jing's eyes flickered: "Captain, did you hear any strange noises last night? That's when the infirmary door broke down."

"No." Isolde turned her eyes, but did not move her head.

"I see, Captain. I have nothing else to attend to for now." Chen Jing excused himself.

"Well, you can go now," Isolde smiled at him.

Chen Jing felt a chill run down his spine. He turned around, preparing to leave the captain's cabin, but was suddenly stopped by Isolde: "Dr. Chen, you keep calling me captain, don't you know my name?"

The two men seemed to still be staring intently at his back, scrutinizing him with smiles.

Chen Jing shook his head, indicating that he did not know.

"Selene Vaughn," Captain Vaughn said.

"Vaughn... Captain..." Chen Jing felt a thorn in his back, his voice trembling.

"Let's go," Captain Vaughn waved.

Chen Jing felt as if he had been granted a pardon and formally withdrew, closing the door behind him.

"At a time like this, you'd better not react so much. I think it's very difficult to cover it up reasonably." Chen Jing's lips trembled as he walked out of the cabin.

"Sorry, it was an instinctive reaction, I just couldn't help it." Chen Xin lowered her head and admitted her mistake.

Chen Jing walked to the edge of the boat, leaned on the railing and looked out, just like on his first night in this world.

After observing for a moment, he lowered his head again and looked down at the boat.

The entire sea was covered with a thin layer of golden light.

This golden light did not come from the sky, but from the depths of the ocean.

At depths of thousands or even tens of thousands of meters, something seems to be constantly emitting a terrifying brilliance.

This rainbow shines through the sea, appearing like a layer of shimmering light in the daytime.

At dusk, however, countless twisted skeletons appear.

"What exactly is this?"

Chen Jing shook his head: "I cannot explain this phenomenon with science."

"What's next?"

Chen Jing walked down the deck, below the waterline, above the lower deck, and returned to his medical room.

He stood at the vanished doorway, looking inside.

The three pirates had been asleep for an unknown period of time, and the secret compartment in their quarters remained tightly closed.

Chen Jing fell silent for a moment.

Because beneath that iron bed, Chen Muqing's tragically deceased body still lay.

It just seems to be melting more and more completely.

Like a wax figure, it continuously oozes black pus, resembling squeezed-out bodily fluids.

But the melting only made her horrifying features swell even more, as if she were glaring angrily.