Chapter 189 “Alice’s Test”
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation
After the initial exchange, Duncan found himself no longer gaining valuable information from these Enders. All they offered him was their unsettling, mindless smiles and an eerie silence, seemingly content as they relished the crisp, saline breeze from the expansive Boundless Sea.
Regardless, the lasting impact of their words had deeply affected Duncan. The comment made by one of the captives regarding his humanity had deeply unsettled him. He couldn’t help but wonder if they had discerned something about him that others hadn’t. Had they somehow realized that the genuine Duncan was no more, replaced by an entity unknown?
Furthermore, their reference to not concealing themselves within the confines of a city-state but instead within a ‘cursed history’ puzzled him. Could it be that these peculiar Enders weren’t bound by typical concepts of time and space? Were they possibly residing in an alternate dimension?
Duncan cast wary eyes on these erratic zealots, his thoughts turbulent, as he meticulously inspected his ship for any unusual signs or alterations. His concern grew, fearing that something had transpired unbeknownst to him.
He took solace in noticing that the goat head, which oddly acted as a helmsman, remained diligently at its post in the captain’s room. It was engrossed in its duty, paying no heed to the happenings on the deck. Therefore, it was improbable that it had caught wind of the unsettling conversation.
As for the rest of the ship, everything appeared in order, with no evident anomalies or disruptions.
His attention then shifted to Alice, who was seated casually on a hefty wooden barrel nearby, her head held in her hands. Apparently, having been idle earlier, Miss Doll had taken the opening to tend to her own hair again.
Having scoured the ship thoroughly and finding no cause for alarm, Duncan let out a weary sigh. He had already garnered sufficient insights from these Enders, and further interactions seemed futile. Their deranged ramblings were starting to wear on him.
“From these individuals, I’ve gleaned more than enough valuable insights. Engaging with them any longer will merely be a futile exercise.”
Suddenly, as if jolted by an internal trigger, one of the Enders snapped back to reality. He raised his gaze to the ethereal sail overhead, uttering in a trance-like tone, “Is it time for us to depart?”
Duncan met the captive’s gaze coldly and said, “You never had a rightful place on this ship. Nonetheless, before I decide to cast you into the sea, you might still prove useful.”
Surprisingly, instead of seeming intimidated, the ghostly captain’s words seemed to invigorate the Enders, their eerie smiles growing wider. Despite Duncan’s firm grasp on the situation, this reaction still sent chills down his spine.
He beckoned, “Alice, come here.”
With dexterity, Alice repositioned her head correctly and briskly made her way to Duncan’s side, inquiring, “You summoned me, Captain?”
Duncan cast a displeased glance at Alice and reprimanded, “Alice… please refrain from detaching your head in the future. Your joints are already fragile to begin with. Continually removing your head will further compromise its attachment over time. Moreover, it seems your cognitive functions diminish whenever you engage in this act.” He paused, his frown deepening, “Now, I need to carry out an experiment, so please control yourself.”
An experiment?” Alice blinked, taken aback. “What kind of experiment?”
“To determine if you still possess that involuntary beheading ability of yours,” Duncan replied, his eyebrow arching in a mix of skepticism and concern. “Surely you haven’t forgotten about that unique trait of yours?”
She responded with a thoughtful nod, “I did forget! But now that you’ve jogged my memory, it’s all coming back to me!”
Choosing to bypass the slight shift in Duncan’s countenance, Alice turned her attention to the trio of Enders, saying, “Oh, hello there. I realized I didn’t introduce myself earlier. I’m Alice, the ship’s… resident chef?”
Duncan interjected, offering an addendum to her introduction. “Perhaps you should also inform them about your other, more unique designation,” he suggested nonchalantly. While doing so, he keenly observed the trio for any reactions. “She’s known as Anomaly 099.”
Recognition flared in the eyes of the Enders, and their once indifferent demeanor shifted dramatically, clearly disconcerted.
Savoring their reaction, Duncan quipped with a playful smirk, “Odd, I assumed you all were so desensitized that even the prospect of death wouldn’t faze you. Let’s make this interesting: remain close to Alice and survive, or face decapitation.”
Upon hearing his words, Alice leaned closer to Duncan and whispered, “Captain, when you make statements like that, you genuinely come across as a villain…”
A touch incredulous, Duncan retorted to the puppet, “Whose side are you really on?”
One of the Enders, choosing this moment to speak, intoned solemnly, “Death is but a minor interruption for us… An insignificant hiccup in our vast journey. You naive souls, who have rebuffed the wonders of subspace and remain ensnared by the tangible constraints of this realm, will never comprehend the profound truths of life and death…”
Seizing the opportunity, Duncan playfully nudged Alice, “You heard him, right? Now, that’s the speech of a true villain.”
Alice simply nodded in acknowledgment, murmuring, “Ah, I see.”
Gazing upwards, Duncan’s attention was captured by the luminescent rift in the night sky. “Exactly how long have these individuals been on board?”
Alice pondered for a moment before responding, “It has been several hours, hasn’t it? My internal clock is typically on point!”
Duncan reflected, “A few hours… which means the guillotine’s cycle would have taken place at least once during that time.” He paused, contemplating the implications. “Regardless, it’s time for the next phase of our experiments.”
Alice looked at him, her eyes wide with confusion. “The next phase? How exactly do you intend to proceed?”
“From what I can discern, your guillotine ability hasn’t been triggered yet. Whether that’s due to the influence of the Vanished or my own presence is yet to be determined,” Duncan mused aloud, carefully observing the trio of captives. Seeing that their heads were firmly attached to their bodies, he continued, “Once another few hours pass, ensuring another cycle of your ability has elapsed, I intend for you and these three to momentarily depart from the Vanished.”
Alice’s eyes widened in astonishment. “Leave the Vanished? But where would we go?”
Miss Doll frantically scanned their surroundings, noting nothing but the vast expanse of the open ocean. There wasn’t a speck of land as far as the eye could see.
Duncan hesitated for a moment, realizing he hadn’t worked out that particular detail. His overarching idea was to maintain a safe distance from both the ship and any populated areas, minimizing the risk of unintended harm.
“We have several lifeboats attached to the ship’s side, all in prime condition. I can lower one for you to use during this experiment.” Duncan tried to reassure her, locking eyes with Alice. “It’s just for a short period. You’ll simply drift a bit on the sea. Don’t worry, the Vanished will hover close by. We won’t abandon you.”
Upon hearing this, Miss Doll instinctively recoiled. “So, I’m supposed to drift aimlessly on the open sea again?! The last time was traumatic enough! Plus, the sea looks eerie and almost desolate at night. What if you can’t spot us? Or a strong wind generates a huge wave that flips the boat over? Or if the boat gets overturned…?”
Before she could delve further into her fears, Duncan interrupted with an exasperated sigh, “Enough! Do you really believe every possible calamity will befall you? I’ll have Ai fly overhead to keep a watchful eye. And seriously, what’s there to fear? Remember when I cast you into the sea previously? You ingeniously used your box as a makeshift raft and paddled back to the ship. Not even eight cannonballs could deter you then!”
Alice tried to muster a response but found herself momentarily speechless, memories flooding back. Still, she couldn’t suppress her apprehension, casting a wary glance at the vast expanse of the Boundless Sea. “Alright, Captain, if you insist. Just… make sure you don’t lose track of me.”
Duncan sighed, thinking to himself, “How did she go from that fearless, wave-surfing adventurer I initially encountered to… this?” He wondered if prolonged time on the ship had somehow diminished her former resilience.
Bro this is literally every AI NPC teammate I get in strategy games. I play some shogun 2, enemy AI pulls out a massive army and relentlessly assaults me no matter how many of their leaders I slay. I ally with them and they can barely raise one army of peasants and are always getting attacked.
Omg you’re right, she is like an AI. In some ways more than the bird. She’s like the “radiant AI” they boasted about in some Elder Scrolls game which just ended up with villager NPCs with the same voice saying 2 lines over and over to each other. Or a wall, I remember some would talk to walls while being all polite.
Nice chapter, translation!
Now he’s actively enjoying torture