Deep Sea Embers

Accompanied by a wave of spray and rippling sea water, the submersible rushed out of the water.

The afternoon sun was shining on the sea, and the heavy shell of the submersible was glowing coldly in the sun, and then the disposable smoking device on the top of the hull was activated, with the flash of fire, a slight explosion sounded, and an orange Yellow plumes of smoke rose straight into the blue sky.

After a period of attitude and power adjustments, the floating state of the submersible tended to be stable. With the sound of creaking, the locking device on the side of the hull was opened. With the rotation of the handle, Duncan opened the hatch of the submersible from the inside. .

The fresh air is blowing in - even for two "corpses" that don't need to breathe, the fresh and cold wind above the sea is extraordinarily comfortable and pleasant.

The illusion of being constantly chased, entangled, and stranded by the indescribable things in the deep sea finally gradually faded from her mind. Agatha, holding on to the handrail, drilled out of the hatch with Duncan and climbed onto the top shell of the submersible , overlooking the endless sea in the distance.

Duncan turned his head slightly and looked at the gatekeeper: "How does it feel to be back in the sun?"

"It seems to be returning from the gate of the death realm again," Agatha said softly, "I never thought that the sunlight and air would bring me such a shock of almost rebirth-but it was when I was both After not being able to feel the warmth of the sun and enjoying smooth breathing."

"What about 'her'?" Duncan asked again, "During the dive, the other Agatha never appeared, but she should have been watching, right?"

"We feel the same, but she said that she has some things to think about for a while, and she is silent now-do you want to talk to her? I can ask her to come out..."

"No need, let her think. This deep dive will be a reshaping and baptism for everyone. We have many things to consider," Duncan waved his hand lightly, then raised his head and looked Looking at the horizon in the distance, "Oh, the 'recovery ship' sent by Tirian found us, it seems that we don't have to go to the city-state by ourselves."

The silhouette of a steam clipper appeared on the sea surface, and it was moving fast towards the direction where the submersible's signal smoke rose...

The submersible returned smoothly, and my father and the "gatekeeper" lady were safe and sound, and they were on their way back. When this "express letter" was sent to my desk through the pressure pipeline, I had been waiting for the news in Nangang Tyrian breathed a sigh of relief.

But then, a strange feeling rose from the bottom of my heart.

He got up from behind the desk, walked slowly to the window, and looked at the sun that was gradually sinking outside the window, and in the silence, Lucrezia's voice suddenly came from the crystal ball not far away. It came out: "Is it the father who has news?"

Tirian looked back at the glowing crystal ball on the desk, and said in a strange tone: "You can see... Is it obvious?"

Lucrezia in the crystal ball was holding a piece of bread in her mouth. One hand was quickly writing calculations on the draft paper floating in the air beside her, and the other hand was still busy adjusting the experimental equipment on the table. While looking up at his elder brother, he said vaguely and casually: "Three points of nervousness, three points of hesitation, three points of comfort, and one point of fear and bewilderment - it must be that father is back."

"...Are you scholars used to talking to people like this? The me in your mouth is like a pie chart..." Tirian frowned, and then couldn't help sighing, "I'm just feeling a little emotional. Before, I would never have imagined that I would be comforted by the safe return of my father — that wasn't the first time I knew he was 'back'."

"Yes, you almost had cramps in your legs back then. After commanding the Sea Mist and fighting Dad, you didn't fall asleep for three days. You woke me up in the middle of the night to describe your nightmare, and you insisted that I shiver with you..."

"Stop! Don't make up such non-existent details!" Tirian hurriedly interrupted the sister on the other side of the crystal ball, "And that's not what I want to tell you!"

Lucrezia fell silent. She finally temporarily put down the seemingly endless research work and unfinished bread in her hands, and raised her head to look seriously into Tirian's eyes.

She finally broke the silence when the stare almost made Tirian's skin crawl: "When I was young, my father often left home for a long, long time. At that time, whenever a bell rang in the direction of the dock, we would Climb to the roof of the house to see if it's the flag of the Lost Home, you always make me calm like a lady, and then take the opportunity to grab the highest place."

"...It's been many years," Tirian was silent for a few seconds, and sighed softly as if talking to himself, "I still remember that the roof was blue, and when the sea breeze blows, the weathervane at the corner of the house is A whistle would be blown, and you tied a windmill to the weather vane, saying you were going to show it off to father—and so the thing about us sneaking up on the roof was exposed."

"Now we have all reached a higher place than the original roof, and we have also seen the scenery that my father saw," Lucrecia said softly, "but we still haven't caught up with my father— ——He went to the deep sea, reaching a depth that even the diving plan of the year failed to reach... Tell me, what will he find in this expedition?"

Tirian didn't speak for a while, but in the next second, a crackling sound suddenly sounded from the mirror behind him, and then Duncan's voice came from the mirror: "I found a very amazing secret—" —I was going to tell you."

Tirian almost jumped out in an instant, his whole body tensed up, but the "Sea Witch" on the other side of the crystal ball reacted more than him - he only heard a cry of surprise and a burst of rattling from Lucrecia's side. The sound, followed by a burst of smoke and flashes rising from the crystal ball, and the picture was interrupted.

Tirian turned his head tensely, and saw a dark green flame burning in the mirror behind him. In the dark mirror, Duncan poked his head and looked behind him: "...Is your sister okay? Am I scared?"

"Can you stop using such a scary method every time you appear..." Tirian mumbled subconsciously, but just as soon as the words came out, he felt inappropriate, and quickly checked Duncan's reaction - the expression on his father's face did not change .

"I thought about using a more friendly way of appearing, such as knocking on the door in advance or sending a notice letter, but Fan Na told me that it wasn't the way I appeared that was scary, but my appearance itself was scary," Duncan said calmly. Looking at Tirian, "I think she's right, so I don't change it at all-at least it will be interesting to watch other people's surprised reactions."

The corners of Tirian's eyes twitched. His father's calm attitude on the matter of "watching the fun" made him dumbfounded, but he quickly forcibly rectified his emotions, and looked curiously at his father in the mirror while recovering his expression: " Have you returned to the city-state? I will go to you now..."

"The avatar I used has returned, but you don't have to go there," Duncan interrupted Tirian. "Pack up your things and go directly to the Lost Country."

Tirian was taken aback for a moment: "Huh?"

"I have made a major discovery in the deep sea," Duncan said with a particularly serious expression. "The information should not be made public, and it may point to the ancient gods. Therefore, everyone needs to be summoned to discuss on the Lost Home. I have already sent Agatha there. My followers have also gathered, you are the master of the Sea Mist and the new consul of Frost, you must also be present."

Tirian instantly realized the specialness and seriousness of the situation from his father's expression and tone, and immediately restrained his slack in his heart: "Okay, I will leave a note for Aiden to explain the situation."

"En." Duncan nodded, and then his eyes swept across the room again, and his eyes fell on the complex structure of the crystal ball lens device.

"Take your crystal ball when you come to the ship," he said to Tyrian. "Lucy had better hear about it too—she will be interested in the secrets of the deep."

Tirian, who was writing a note, immediately raised his head when he heard this, first glanced at Duncan in surprise, and then nodded instantly: "Okay, I must take the crystal ball with me—where is the Lost Home now? Get a speedboat ready..."

Before he finished speaking, Duncan in the mirror waved his hand: "No need, Ai will take you there."

The knocking sound of "dong dong dong" came from outside the window.

Tirian turned his head to look in the direction of the sound, and saw the fat white pigeon that always followed his father.

The pigeon was outside pecking at the window glass of the harbor office with its beak, and at this moment it tilted its head: "Get in the car? It has a big seat! The old driver is driving, be steady!"

Tirian: "...?"

...

The mess on the Lost Homes was the meeting place for the crew.

The wide and long dining table has been wiped shiny, and there are bright oil lamps hanging on the pillars near the dining table. The captain’s followers are gathered on both sides of the dining table—Vanna and Morris are sitting upright, Shirley and Alice are wandering in the sky. , Nina and Agou are studying hard with their books, and besides them, there are two new figures here today.

Agatha, who was dressed as a blind nun, sat quietly at the long table and prayed silently, and Lawrence, who was wearing a white coat and looked nervous while clutching a pipe.

The latter is looking nervously at the scene in the cabin.

Lawrence's ship was parked on the nearby sea at this moment, and the first officer was helping to manage the affairs on board. He, the captain, was summoned to the "chief flagship" by an order, and no one told him what was going on when he came. , This made the old captain feel uneasy.

This is the first time he really set foot on the "Lost Home", a legendary ghost ship returning from the subspace, Duncan Abu Normar's followers gathered in this ancient and solemn cabin, Under the lights awaiting orders from Captain Duncan.

He already knew the identities and origins of these people——

Animated dolls, shattered suns, demons with spirits, judges exiled from their vows, legendary scholars on the verge of madness...

Now, he's in it.

Even in the wildest dreams and visions of the past, Lawrence never imagined that he would experience such a scene.

He was the captain of an expedition ship who was about to retire...why did he get in here in the end?