Chapter 496: Duncan’s Bold Idea
This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation.com
As the eerie, dim green flames flickered, their light casting unsettling shadows within the cabin, the rhythmic sound of ocean waves transformed into a spectral lullaby, whispering an unnerving message of doom into each mind present.
Imagine discovering that human dwellings were built upon the remains of colossal, unimaginable creatures. Ancient, desiccated tentacles dangled ominously from the undersides of the floating cities, while lifeless, milky eyeballs stared unblinkingly into the endless abyss.
The inhabitants of this world were direct descendants of ancient and revered beings, their forms molded from the flesh of prehistoric gods who once ruled everything. The chaos unfolding in Frost wasn’t just an invasion; it signified the reawakening of these forgotten deities within their creations. The hierarchy among the four gods wasn’t stable, and they could lose control over their domains. This loss of control had likely happened before, and the protection of the four gods over the mortal realm might persist only because they were the last divine entities capable of maintaining consciousness.
Moreover, the disaster in Frost wouldn’t be the last. As the Nether Lord’s condition worsened and the flaws in creation’s design became more pronounced, similar awakenings were highly probable across various regions. Defective reincarnations of ancient gods were expected to emerge from the sea’s depths, the cities’ bowels, and terrifyingly, from within the very essence of every mortal.
Duncan, with calm composure, shared this chilling knowledge he had gained from the deep sea with his followers, drawing conclusions from the information he had.
A profound silence fell upon the cabin, so deep it seemed to swallow all sound. Even Alice and Shirley, usually composed and nonchalant, were moved to silence, realizing the gravity of the situation.
After what felt like an eternity, Vanna broke the silence. She took a deep breath, her expression melancholic, like a storm cloud had settled upon her face. “Had I not heard these words directly from you, I would have dismissed this entire disclosure as the ravings of a delusional doomsday seer,” she confessed.
“Even the most deranged doomsday Ender probably couldn’t conjure a tale of this scale,” Morris added slowly. Reaching for his pipe, he found the tobacco had long since been extinguished. With a sigh and a bitter smile, he placed it back down.
“Yes, indeed, the doomsday Enders. One of the most perplexing phenomena in this world is how some disciples from subspaces can somehow retain their consciousness,” Tyrian opined, his brow furrowing. After a considerable pause, he felt compelled to ask, “Father, is all of this information genuine?”
As he asked, he felt a wave of embarrassment, as if he had asked something redundant. However, it was a question that needed to be asked. Likely, the same question was on the minds of everyone seated around the expansive table.
“At the very least, it represents what I have personally witnessed and heard,” Duncan responded with a level-headed calmness. He added that information from one source could often mislead, and even the most glaring pieces of evidence could lead to several interpretations.
Moreover, the Frost Queen might not always have been truthful, and even if she had always spoken the truth, she was not impervious to error. The best they could do was deduce the most plausible approximation of the truth based on the data they had.
“What is the most likely approximation of the truth at this point?” Tyrian echoed this thought aloud before asking, “Did the Queen offer any signs or indicators if other cities might face a situation similar to Frost with the awakening of the ancient gods?”
“No,” Duncan shook his head. “She also failed to provide a concrete explanation for the mechanism of this awakening. It seems the only way to understand this process might be to dive into the abyssal sea and verify the state of the Nether Lord’s true form.”
At these words, several pairs of eyes focused on Dog, who had been trying to remain inconspicuous in a corner.
“Don’t look at me,” Dog nearly leapt up in surprise, vehemently shaking his large head. “This isn’t something I can facilitate. I don’t have the means to approach the vicinity of the Nether Lord, let alone transport anyone else there.”
“But you have been able to open the passage to the abyssal deep sea, and even helped Shirley escape through this route,” Duncan said, looking intently at the shadow demon. “You also previously mentioned that the dark hound is a demonic breed originating in the vicinity of the Nether Lord, and your homeland is situated adjacent to the Nether Lord.”
In the past, the shallow passage could merely skirt the periphery of the shadowy realm, serving solely as an escape route. Dog hesitated when he found himself at the receiving end of everyone’s gaze. Left with no choice, he decided to unveil these secrets that had served as the key to his and Shirley’s survival for many years.
“The abyssal deep sea is far more intricate and uncanny than any ocean in reality. It doesn’t represent a singular entity, and its disparate regions do not exist contiguously. You may attempt to gaze from the shallow depths into the fathomless recesses, but traversing it is impossible. Even if you devoted ten thousand years, you wouldn’t reach your destination. In that place, distance and movement are illusions.”
“I’ve been cast out from the abyssal deep sea. While I can’t elucidate the specific principles, it might be due to my conscience’s development. For many years, I’ve been incapable of opening the passage leading to the Nether Lord’s vicinity. Furthermore, I’m not welcomed among the denizens there. Even a fleeting transit through the shallow region’s safe zone attracts countless demons’ wrath. Besides, I can’t easily transport people there. Shadow demons can only traverse the passage with their symbiotic contractors, meaning I can only escort Shirley; I can’t bring anyone else.”
Dog rattled off this lengthy explanation, then carefully observed the reactions, especially Duncan’s. Pulling his neck back a little, he added, “I assure you, Captain, I’m not making excuses. The challenges are indeed numerous.”
Duncan didn’t seem irked by Dog’s litany of difficulties. He fell into deep thought for a moment before speaking, “So you’re saying the spatial construct of the abyssal deep sea is discontinuous?”
“That’s a somewhat accurate interpretation,” Dog said, nodding in agreement. “I can’t provide a detailed explanation. I’m currently studying Professor Braun Dahl’s book ‘Three Conjectures on Asymmetric Spacetime.’ Maybe upon completion, I can present a clearer explanation.”
Duncan paid little attention to the latter part of Dog’s statement, continuing to ruminate before asking, “But I remember you saying that during a period when the Vanished lost control, it managed to tear through the entire abyssal deep sea.”
Dog’s expression (abstract though it was) changed instantly, his skeletal frame becoming rigid with a jarring creak. Believing Dog might be struggling to recall, Duncan nonchalantly added details, “You said it plummeted from the real world into subspace, then resurfaced, repeating this cycle, each time crashing through the spirit world and the abyssal deep sea. Does this mean that during its rampage, it shattered the spatial fissures within the shadow realm?”
Dog’s expression became increasingly mental, and everyone in the cabin wore vivid looks of fearful astonishment. Even Lucretia, present virtually via the crystal ball, appeared astonished.
“C-Cap… Captain…” Dog’s raspy voice finally emitted a sound, every fragment of his bone structure quivering, “Please don’t entertain such frightful notions! Surely, you’re not planning to… instigate such a cataclysm again!”
“Father, you must exercise caution,” Lucretia broke her silence, looking anxious through the crystal ball, fearing her father might revert to that emotionless, terrifying deity.
Invoking the Vanished to return to its state of uncontrolled chaos to rip open the abyssal deep sea was a reckless idea, even from a research standpoint. This idea was exceedingly radical.
Duncan hadn’t anticipated such strong reactions. He shook his head, reassuring them, “Fear not, I wouldn’t conduct such extreme experiments. I’ve always prided myself on being cautious.”
This eased the tension somewhat. However, Duncan quickly added, “But even from a cautious standpoint, this ancient incident has sparked a thought. Certain attributes of the Vanished seem to disregard the spatial faults within the abyssal deep sea. I intend to research this to see if it’s possible to pry open the gates to that domain safely.”
This statement brought unease back to the surface, but this time, no one voiced vehement objections. Morris and Lucretia, as scholars, stressed the importance of safety and caution, clearly concerned that the captain might impulsively hurl the Vanished into the abyssal deep sea one day.
Fortunately, Duncan smoothly transitioned to the next subject.
“Beyond the state of the Nether Lord, there’s another matter that concerns me,” Duncan said, stroking his chin. “These Enders, specifically the rational Enders whose actions oppose the cultists.”
He turned his gaze to Tyrian. “Tyrian, you once told Vanna that three enlightened Enders visited the Vanished and spent the night in deep discourse with me, correct?”
Tyrian nodded, a hint of embarrassment on his face. “Yes, Father. At that time, I wasn’t sure about your condition, so I discussed some of your past encounters with Miss Vanna.”
“That’s fine,” Duncan dismissed with a wave of his hand. “There’s much from that period I don’t recall, so it’s beneficial that you’ve retained those memories.”
He acknowledged his memory lapses due to subspace’s influence and continued, “I sense that our paths will cross with those enlightened Enders sooner or later.”
Morris instinctively asked, “What leads you to this conclusion?”
“Because they seem to have a vested interest in significant historical events,” Duncan said slowly. “And the disturbance stirred by the Vanished is escalating in magnitude.”
Time to really rock the boat boys.
Those Enders might “not” actually be “enders themselves but may possess similar abilities to those of their cultist counterparts. They could even be allies from the future vanished assisting on making the previous timeline somewhat safe without other radical cultist, or subspace gods, creatures, entities noticing.
I also think the Enders are some sort of Time Police, to make things happen as intended.
Maybe all Enders are actually just one single Ender constantly traveling trough time?
As for future allies from the vanished… while it would be a good twist, I don’t think so. Seems to obvious of a plot path to me and this author likes to supprise…
Another thing, we still know next to nothing about the other time traveling faction on the side of the gods, flame something I think was their name.
If the the nether lord is a space navigator computer(that’s the way I see it), then what actually are demons? The nether lord seems to be an amalgamation of a sci-fi computer and magic. Probably from the crash. But it still belays the question of what are demons?
Hm, perhaps Dog Head is becoming a replacement for LH-01.