Chapter 284: Aren’t They Ready-Made Guinea Pigs?
Bunny listened from the side, her eyes turning red. She thought of her father.
Evangeline sighed softly, pulling Bunny into her arms too. "Don’t cry," she whispered. "Mother will take you to see your father very soon."
Thorne paused, then exchanged a look with Loras and Danton. All three wore heavy expressions.
"See him? Where is Caden Albright?" The Everwake’s eyes glinted as he sensed the sudden, heavy atmosphere in the tent.
’It was obvious at a glance whose cub this little maiden was. But Caden Albright wasn’t here?’
He remembered seeing Caden Albright in Blackwater Swamp during the rainy season. The pride of the Oasis Tribe, a male once sought after by countless females, had become a Fallen Beastman with an Eight-Star Pattern.
Evangeline ruffled Bunny’s hair, then glanced at the two Merfolk children who were staring at her with earnest eyes.
She said softly, "He’s on the other side of the Triangle Sea."
Hearing this, The Everwake’s expression grew stern. "How did he cross the Triangle Sea?" he asked, his voice solemn.
He knew Evangeline and her group had come to the Triangle Sea to cross to the vaster lands beyond. However, The Swarm had been in the Triangle Abyss for years. Rainy season after rainy season, they had swarmed out, trying to find a way across the Triangle Sea. They believed reaching the other side would break the curse on the Blade-Wing Insectoids. Unfortunately, every attempt ended with them being dragged into the depths by the waves.
Evangeline fell silent for a moment before replying calmly, "Someone took him there."
"Someone... took him there?" The Everwake was taken aback. In a low voice, he said, "The Blade-Wing Insectoids once flew over the Triangle Sea, but The Norfell Region seems to be shrouded in a curse as well. Even during the rainy season, the surface of the sea is roiling with violent gales. Nothing living can cross."
’He refused to believe anyone on the Beastman Continent possessed such power.’
Evangeline replied at a measured pace, "That’s right. Which is why we must change the very structure of the Triangle Sea."
"Change... the structure of the sea?"
It wasn’t just The Everwake; even Thorne, Danton, and Loras were hearing this for the first time.
They didn’t fully understand, but they could sense the sheer scale and difficulty of the task.
Evangeline simply smiled and said nothing, turning to Danton. "From your expression earlier, has something happened?"
The Everwake glanced at Genesis, who kept stealing glances at him. Each time their eyes met, the little one would blush and shyly turn his head away. It was quite adorable.
’His heart swelled with contentment. A female, a child—this was the life he had always wanted.’
But the thought had barely faded when he heard Thorne’s voice, thick with fury, say, "The airship... it’s been stolen."
At his words, Evangeline looked stunned. "Stolen?"
’To get back to the Triangle Sea, she had specifically sent Thorne and the others on the airship. Logically, once its Spiritual Power was depleted, the airship should have shrunk back to the size of her palm. How could it have been stolen?’
Thorne’s brow was deeply furrowed. "When we returned to camp, many people saw the airship. They believed it was a gift from the Beast God. That very night, several tribes banded together, pushed the airship into the sea, and sailed deep into the Triangle Abyss."
"Oh?" Evangeline’s eyes flickered with interest. "And nothing happened to them?"
Danton shook his head, his expression grim. "The airship did carry them away. It wasn’t dragged under by the ocean vortexes, not even by the time it vanished from sight."
Evangeline narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. "So, the airship isn’t subject to this region’s constraints?"
’She suddenly recalled that even the Beast God, Cassian Zane, needed the Spiritual Energy from Spiritual Medicine to suppress the poison in his body. That meant Spiritual Energy was a supreme power system on the Beastman Continent. Perhaps it really could break free from the shackles of the Triangle Sea.’
’Something like this needed a vanguard.’
She looked up at them and asked curiously, "You said several tribes worked together to steal the airship. Which ones?"
Loras pressed his lips together and answered in a low voice, "The Mysticeti Tribe and the Sky-Rend Tribe."
Evangeline nodded, showing no sign of anger. Instead, she raised an eyebrow. "And the Grymdale Tribe made no move?"
’Given Elias Moretti’s profit-driven nature, it was unexpected that he hadn’t gotten involved. After all, this was a way to safely escape the Triangle Sea, and these tribes had been pushed to their breaking point by the long wait.’
Thorne scoffed. "Elias Moretti has changed a lot. He’s practically a saint now."
His tone was dripping with sarcasm. Clearly, he was displeased that Elias Moretti hadn’t been involved in the theft. He also knew full well that Elias Moretti hadn’t betrayed Evangeline, but had chosen to stay behind for his own ulterior motives.
Evangeline tapped her fingers lightly. "And the Fallen Beastmen? No trouble from them?"
Danton replied softly, "The leader of The Ravening Wolves is a formidable figure. He keeps the Fallen Beastmen in line, and no one has tried to desert. Aided by their contracts, they’re actually more stable than the beastmen of the Grymdale Tribe."
Evangeline nodded. "Good. We’ll rest for the night. First thing tomorrow, we cross the Triangle Sea."
At her words, they all exchanged glances.
The Everwake turned back to Evangeline and asked hesitantly, "What’s the plan?"
They all knew how dangerous the Triangle Sea was. If they were truly going to cross it, they needed to be absolutely sure of their success.
A faint smile touched Evangeline’s lips. "By summoning the airship back, of course," she said, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Summon it back?" they all exclaimed in unison, their faces etched with astonishment.
Evangeline gave a slight nod, glancing at the darkening sky outside. "By tomorrow morning, we’ll know for sure whether the airship can cross the Triangle Sea."
’Having some guinea pigs who aren’t afraid of death is perfect, isn’t it?’
However...
Her long lashes lowered as she asked calmly, "Where is Coral Cetus?"
’Coral Cetus was one of the few friends she had made since arriving on the Beastman Continent. As a member of the Mysticeti Tribe, Evangeline didn’t know what choice she would have made. But regardless, asking after her was a way of honoring their friendship.’
The words had barely left her lips when Danton started to speak, but a sudden rush of hurried footsteps sounded from outside the tent.
"Clan Leader? Clan Leader!"
Hearing Stellan’s voice, Evangeline’s expression softened.
’She knew that Stellan’s presence in the camp meant Coral Cetus hadn’t left either.’
’Between betraying Evangeline and betraying her own people, she had chosen the latter.’
Danton’s expression grew taut. He could hear the panic in Stellan’s voice, and after a quick glance at Evangeline, he hurried out of the tent. Stellan was drenched in a cold sweat, his clothes spotted with blood. His voice trembled as he spoke, "Clan Leader! Please, you have to help! Coral Cetus—she’s giving birth!"
It was their first time becoming parents. The initial joy had turned to unfamiliar terror when they heard Coral Cetus’s cries of pain and saw the blood. With all the members of the Mysticeti Tribe gone, he had no one to turn to but the Mer Clan.
Danton’s expression shifted, and he turned to look back into the tent.
Just then, Evangeline emerged. Without a moment’s hesitation, she started toward Coral Cetus’s tent.
The moment Stellan saw her, his eyes lit up. "My Lady Priestess!" he cried, his voice trembling. "You have to save Coral Cetus! She was so worried about you, and because of what her people did, she..."
He was so terrified that his words were a jumbled mess; he didn’t even know what he was saying anymore.
"Alright, Eva won’t let anything happen to Coral Cetus. Come on." Danton patted the tense Stellan on the shoulder in a comforting gesture, then took the lead in following Evangeline.
