Deep Sea Embers

After hearing the report from the apprentice Joshua, Taran Eyre and Ted Leal looked at each other almost at the same time. Before the latter spoke, Taran had already taken the initiative to turn to the apprentice and said: "The one in the next room by the window The second door on the left side of the iron cabinet, the blue paper tape box - run for it!"

"Ah...Okay!!" Joshua hurriedly agreed, turned around and ran out of the room - followed by a series of sounds of bumping into something in the corridor and the movement of rummaging through boxes and cabinets in the next room - in Ted Leal was almost worried that this reckless young man was planning to tear down the building when he came back in a hurry, holding the sealed file box in his hand.

Ted Leal took out the records in the file box and compared them with the paper tapes that Joshua had just sent to the room. He then went to the bedside where Taran Eyre was lying and gave the two records to the latter. Take a look.

Taran El's eyes fell on the old and new paper tapes, identifying each peak and trough in them, and the dark color gradually became more solemn.

"Is it the same signal?" The voice of the Keeper of Truth sounded from the side.

"Excluding the distortion caused by interference and the possible errors caused by the instrument itself...it should be the same signal." Taran El said seriously.

"...This is the 'light signal' recorded by Ms. Lucretia on the Brilliant Star before," Ted Leal stared at the record that had been sealed in the paper tape box with a thoughtful expression. , "It is the information released from the internal circulation of the 'light body' during the extinction of the sun, but we have not been able to decipher its meaning so far..."

He suddenly raised his head and looked at the sky outside the window.

The sun is slowly approaching the distant building roof, the brilliant double runic rings are shining in the sky, and the magnificent corona is still emitting infinite light and heat - the time is approaching dusk, but Vision 001 itself shows no signs of extinguishing. .

However, the "luminous geometry" located near Qingfeng Harbor suddenly began to release this weird "signal" that had appeared during the sun's extinction... Why is this?

"Is this signal repeating?" Taran Ayre asked his student.

"Yes...yes," Joshua nodded hurriedly, obviously very nervous, "When the observation station transmitted the data, this signal had been repeated three times..."

"What do you think of this?" Taran Ayre turned his head and looked at his old friend.

"...I want to go to the observatory in person. These signals feel very unusual. I always feel that this is the strange 'luminous geometric object' trying to 'contact' with the outside world. Maybe I can find something in the past. What clues?" Ted Leal said quickly, walking to the clothes rack not far away and picking up his coat and hat. "In addition, we should also tell the news to the few people gathered at the 'Fifth Ark'. Their Bian may not have noticed anything unusual yet..."

The truth keeper was ready to go out, and picked up his heavy book that recorded many miraculous techniques, and opened the page depicting the "door", but suddenly he stopped again , raised his eyelids and looked at the scholar lying on the hospital bed.

Taran El suddenly felt a little uneasy: "...What are you looking at me doing?"

"If something happens to the sun again this time, just stay in bed - your shocking move last time has affected the safety assessment of the entire college."

"Nonsense! Now the discs in my lumbar spine are almost reaching my crotch. Where else can I go!" Taran Elton suddenly stared at him. If it weren't for the lumbar spine that really didn't allow it, he seemed to be flying up and biting someone. "Do you think Am I willing to build eaves and walls above the teaching building and bell tower?”

However, Ted Leal shook his head when he heard this: "...Experience tells me that a lumbar disc herniation cannot completely stop your curiosity - as long as the target has sufficient research value, you can get up from the hospital bed. .”

As he spoke, the truth keeper walked slowly to the great scholar's bedside, and casually tapped on his "Book of Miracles" - a small and illusory scalpel followed. appeared in his hands.

Taran El instantly realized what was causing his uneasiness just now, and immediately shouted: "What are you doing... I'm warning you, Ted... you can't... Fuck you can't!"

Ted Leal did not pay any attention to the protest of the university scholar. He pointed the scalpel at Taran El from a distance and tapped it three times: "This can effectively confine you to this bed - don't worry, come back." Then I will cure you.”

"Ted, you are so stupid! The God of Wisdom gave you the knowledge of disease and treatment not for you to do this! I... (expletive from Elf) (expletive from Qingfeng Port) (unbearable vulgar language)!!"

The room resounded with the excited but less energetic shouts of the great scholar. However, the Keeper of the Truth had already turned around and walked into a door that appeared out of thin air. Only the bewildered apprentice Joshua was left in the room. He stood face to face with his teacher.

"...What are you looking at? Why don't you bring the hemorrhoid ointment from my master!"

"oh oh!"

…

The main part of the meeting was over - after exchanging enough information and reaching a series of explicit "cooperation agreements", Duncan and several church leaders present jointly announced the adjournment of the meeting.

But what is different from a normal "meeting" is that there are no flash lights, there are not a lot of reporters recording precious moments at this moment, there are no photos or images to leave any intelligence in the process of this meeting - not even a page is left on The words of the agreement on paper.

Because the things they discuss here are so sensitive that any form of meeting minutes may produce unpredictable "changes" one day in the future.

But all the participants didn't mind this because they believed that the four gods' testimony was enough.

The bishops left the venue first - Lucretia's servants took these guests to the temporarily arranged rest area on the deck, where tea and snacks had been prepared in advance, and half an hour later, there were still people on the deck. There will be a small barbecue party.

Many participants still feel a little unreal, after all... enjoying a sumptuous dinner on the deck of the Lost Home under the sea breeze - even the most imaginative poets and playwrights in the world may not be able to Dare to conceive of this scene with a clear mind.

Other attendees had another level of worry - they were still worried about "food safety issues" on the ship, although they now accepted the fact that "Captain Duncan had humanity and had established a cooperative relationship with the church." But they still felt there would be something on the ship that would be harmful to ordinary people's physical and mental health, especially at so-called "barbecue parties."

...In fact, they are right to worry.

But it didn't work.

Because it is not yet time to return to the Pilgrimage of the Ark - the four popes are still at the meeting, the "closed meeting" after the public meeting is the really important part.

"Now we are the only ones left here." In the hall that suddenly became quiet and empty due to the departure of the bishops, Duncan looked at the four people sitting opposite him. "We can also discuss some things that are not so suitable for the table. It’s what I mentioned above.”

"Where do you want to start?" Helena said, "We will try to answer all your questions."

"...Actually, it's not really a question," Duncan thought for a moment and spoke slowly, "It's just that I want to know, are your actions in the border waters...do you intend to hide them from the city-states forever? I'm not referring to the search for the gods, but the search for a new sea route. If you really find a new sea route, how do you plan to persuade city-states that have previously been ignorant of these plans to carry out a large-scale population migration? Also Those other ambitious 'migration' plans..."

After saying this, he paused and his expression became serious: "To be honest, they sound really exciting, but as long as you calm down and think about it, you can realize that there are too many hasty decisions and too many things that are taken for granted. Ingredients, especially since you plan to accomplish these 'feats' on your own, hiding it from the entire world - what do you think your true success rate is?"

"...Concealing it is also a helpless act. There is too much information that cannot be known to ordinary people. Those 'secrets' involving the border can easily cause catastrophe if leaked to ordinary city-states," Helena sighed. He said, "Of course, your doubts are correct. There are too many hasty and taken-for-granted elements in these plans, and no matter what, these large-scale actions cannot be hidden forever... All I can say about this is that we will always I didn’t expect the situation to deteriorate so quickly.”

"We originally planned all of this based on a time span of several centuries," Frame on the side nodded. "If there is enough time for buffering, we can rely on the relay of several generations to smoothly transfer these As the matter progresses, we will have more energy to screen and process border-related intelligence, and safely deliver it to various city-states. Now... I can only say that time is too hasty."

"Time... time is indeed too hasty," Duncan sighed softly. He knew that what Helena and Frame said were helpless facts, so he did not dwell on this topic. After sighing, she turned her head to Fanna next to her, "Then let's talk about something else. Fanna, don't you have something to say to Lord Frame?"

Sitting across the table, the tall, gray-skinned Fire Messenger Pope Frame was slightly startled, and then seemed to realize something. He adjusted his sitting posture and looked at Vanna seriously.

Fanna stood up after a slight nod, turned and walked towards the corner of the hall - a moment later, she returned to everyone carrying an extraordinarily huge thing.

It's the "cane" left behind by Tarezin.

"Be careful with the beams..." Duncan couldn't help but remind him, "There are also pillars..."

Fanna nodded, being careful not to smash anything in the hall with the "cane" that looked like a giant tree trunk, and then slowly placed it on the table in front of everyone.

"This is the 'Chronicle'."