Chapter 61 “Unstable Navigation”
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In the enigmatic cover of night, Duncan found himself meandering through the intricate passageways of the ship. Though it felt like he had been wandering for an eternity, a quick glance at the continuously dark sky indicated that only a few hours had passed. These hours, though brief, had etched a deep and unforgettable impact on him.
A persistent question haunted his thoughts: What mysteries were hidden behind the unopened doors scattered throughout the ship?
Accompanied by Alice, his lively doll companion, Duncan made his way towards the captain’s quarters. Their footsteps echoed ominously against the silent backdrop of the ship, creating a stark contrast. Alice, lost in her thoughts about culinary wonders, sharply contrasted Duncan’s mind, which wandered, captivated by the peculiar artifacts adorning the ship’s deck.
As they neared the captain’s quarters, Duncan experienced an eerie sense of déjà vu. The layout mimicked that of the ship’s lower levels—a long corridor that seemed to stretch into infinity. This sparked a suspicion in Duncan that the captain’s quarters might contain secret compartments, possibly another hidden room or a concealed passage.
Duncan pondered the mysterious goat head statue on the navigation table. Could it conceal knowledge of a hidden passage? Was it privy to where this passage might lead? Should he question it directly?
As Duncan reached for the door handle, Alice’s enthusiastic voice interrupted his thoughts as she addressed the wooden goat head, “Mr. Goathead! The bilge is fascinating! The captain took me there, and I saw an intriguing door in the dismantled lower cabin!”
This information piqued Duncan’s interest even further, touching directly on the mystery he was contemplating.
Feigning to be the phantom captain, Duncan masked his astonishment and continued to pack his belongings, all the while listening in on the conversation.
“Miss Alice, you are on the verge of uncovering something otherworldly! This ship, known as the Vanished, possesses the supernatural capability to navigate through multiple dimensions simultaneously, which safeguards us,” revealed Goathead.
Duncan’s suspicions were confirmed—the ship had the ability to traverse various dimensions, beyond just our known reality.
This revelation posed a new challenge: Alice’s insatiable curiosity might drive her to investigate further, yet her interactions with Duncan were often tense, leading her to prefer discussing her questions with the more approachable goat head. Duncan’s presence could complicate things, possibly exposing his disguise if he could not convincingly respond to Alice’s inquiries.
Duncan quickly formulated a strategy. Maintaining an air of casual detachment, he declared, “I think I’ll leave you two to continue this fascinating discussion. I feel like taking a stroll. Mr. Goathead, since Alice is now a crucial member of our crew, feel free to divulge any non-sensitive information to her.”
Alice’s face lit up with anticipation, and the wooden goat head nodded, “As you wish, Captain. As your loyal first mate, I’ll make sure our new crew member feels welcomed.”
With his role convincingly played, Duncan opened the door and stepped out. Once alone, he reactivated his telepathic link with the Vanished, allowing him to discreetly eavesdrop on the ongoing conversation. His clever subterfuge was set in motion, strategically positioning him to uncover the ship’s secrets without being directly involved.
Focusing on the telepathic connection, Duncan’s senses sharpened. He vividly saw Alice comfortably seated on a stool, deeply immersed in conversation with the animated goat head.
Curiously, Alice seemed to have shed her usual cautious demeanor, even forgetting to remind him of her promise to prepare a late-night snack—a minor oversight for Duncan amid the emerging mysteries.
Meanwhile, Ai, the perceptive dove accompanying him, perched atop the highest mast, vigilantly scanning the surroundings. Her keen observation skills made her an invaluable and alert sentinel, ready to alert them to any hidden dangers.
“The door appeared quite formidable, and the captain strictly warned me against approaching it too closely,” Alice began, deliberately omitting a peculiar detail about an upside-down lamp as she recounted her experience with the enigmatic door.
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“That door is strictly off-limits, not only to you but to me as well,” Goathead clarified, noticing Alice’s surprised reaction. “Don’t be so surprised. Yes, I may lack a physical form to manipulate objects, but when I say ‘touch,’ I mean any form of interaction—manipulating, controlling, overseeing. Do you understand? This door is forbidden in every conceivable way… you haven’t tampered with it, have you?”
Alice flinched slightly as Goathead’s tone turned serious. After a brief pause, she nervously inquired, “What… what exactly is behind that door?”
Duncan, listening attentively, felt his curiosity intensify. Goathead maintained his enigmatic aura, allowing the silence to linger for a full minute before pressing further, “Are you absolutely certain you didn’t meddle with it?”
“I didn’t touch it!” Alice replied hastily, her voice trembling, “But… the captain did lean in and peeked inside. There was a narrow crack, so he… he pushed his sword through it…”
No sooner had Alice finished her statement than Duncan felt a significant tremor through the ship, accompanied by an eerie howling of the wind against the sails. The wooden planks creaked under the strain, and the rigging emitted foreboding sounds. It became apparent that these disturbances were connected to Goathead, the ship’s navigator!
“You mean there was a slight opening in the door? A crack?!” Goathead’s alarm was palpable, and his astonishment was clear, requiring no psychic powers to discern.
“Y-Yes,” Alice stammered, startled by his sudden urgency, “the door wasn’t completely shut… there was a narrow gap, about as wide as a finger along its edge…”
“And after the captain explored the crack, what happened? He inserted his sword… did his demeanor change? Did he seem to be under some sort of spell?” Goathead inquired, visibly anxious.
“No,” Alice replied confidently, “the captain’s expression remained stern as he withdrew his sword. He then escorted me back here, visibly pensive. His troubled mood prompted me to offer to cook for him. I was just about to head to the kitchen…”
“Forget the kitchen for now! Do you realize what might be concealed behind that door?”
“Umm… What exactly is behind that door?” Alice echoed, her voice quivering with fear. The typically relaxed Goathead now exhibited significant concern, making Alice increasingly anxious.
“Behind that door lies the realm of subspace…”
Duncan, who had been casually walking across the deck, abruptly halted.
The realm of subspace lies beyond that door?
His thoughts were thrown into chaos, grappling with a profound revelation.
Could it be that the lowest deck of the ship extended into the boundaries of subspace? Goathead’s hints suggested that navigating through subspace was fraught with peril. Did this mean that the crack in the door was a dangerous anomaly? That the door was intended to remain perfectly sealed at all times? Or perhaps… An unseen force from beyond was attempting to force the door open…
At that moment, Duncan hadn’t given it much thought. But now, recalling the unexplained resistance he felt at the door, a sinister realization dawned on him.
Could it be… When he attempted to secure the door earlier, a mysterious force from the realm of subspace resisted, preventing him from closing it completely?
Damn things just got serious
Wow… how scary and how interesting 😮
as stated in ch49 there are 5 realms, god realm above, mortal realm, spirit realm, abyssal sea, and the lowest is subspace. That would mean that Vanished is traversing through at least 4 realms/dimensions at the same time. No higher god can reach into the abyssal sea and below, and yet Vanished can traverse it
Thank you very much for this, I couldn’t remember the # of dimensional layers or their order, or even which chapter explained them!
Man things have been getting very interesting recently