Chapter 16. The Narwhale
"What did you say?!... You've been to that Danger Level 4 island?!" The chubby man's voice trembled with surprise, and his expression was a sight to see.
The other captains were equally astonished. Just moments ago, they had been warning him against going to the island and meeting his doom, and now he claimed to have explored it already?
"Why is the island only marked with a danger level and no reward amount?" Charles asked.
"Don't change the subject! When did you go to that island? What's on it?"
Charles slightly leaned back with his brows furrowed. He barely avoided the splattering saliva from the plump man. "The Fhtagn Covenant asked me to retrieve something from the island. What's the problem? Isn't that how everyone explores an island?"
Even Elizabeth, who had been composed until now, showed signs of agitation. A faint blush tinted her fair face.
"Charles, as a newcomer, you might not be familiar with the steps involved in exploring an island. The tasks of explorers are divided into many types. First, we have to explore the sea route, followed by assessing the danger level of the natives, and finally, conquering the island. In the Association, the rewards vary for each type of task."
"And as a newcomer, you have directly completed several previous steps. Now, you only have to complete the final task of island conquest! The entire island will be yours! You'll be the next fortunate one, the next esteemed governor!"
So that's how it worked. No wonder there are no rewards listed for the islands on the sea chart. Charles silently noted in his mind the intricate stages of exploring an island.
"Enough talk about that. Newco... Charles, are there any resources on that island? Is it dangerous?"
After pondering for a few seconds, Charles concluded that the island held no significant value, and he proceeded to share the information about the island with the others.
As soon as they heard that the island lacked food and fresh water, and instead harbored creatures capable of tampering with human memories, a sense of disappointment appeared on everyone's faces.
"Alas, another dead island. I had hoped to witness history and see with my own eyes the rise of the fastest man to date to become governor," one captain lamented.
"If that island just had a tiny bit of resources, we could have assembled a conquering fleet for the next step," another concurred.
While the others were engaged in discussion over this topic, Charles pointed to the Level 5 island on the northernmost part of the sea chart. He said to the female staff beside him, "My ship will set sail in half a month, and I need to explore this island."
Elizabeth opened her mouth as if to offer advice, but in the end, she remained silent. The strength of this guy before her was truly unfathomable. He was no ordinary newcomer.
Once the staff finished registering the task, Charles scanned the room of captains, who had fallen into silence. "Excuse me, does anyone know of any channels for acquiring weapons?"
The previous expedition had taught Charles a lesson. He needed to enhance the combat capabilities of his entire crew; relying solely on a revolver was insufficient.
"If it's just ordinary weapons, ask them," the burly man pointed to the personnel behind the counter. "The Association also facilitates weapon trading. As long as the price is right, they can get you anything."
The considerate staff chimed in, "Please wait a moment. I'll bring you the weapons inventory list."
Charles suddenly felt that the founders of the Association were true business geniuses. Their words about working for the betterment of humanity were just a fa?ade, and the real truth lay in the explosive profits from the lucrative arms trade.
Very soon, several introduction brochures were placed in front of Charles. The prices for bullets were also helpfully indicated underneath the various models of firearms.
The technological level of the Subterranean Sea was somewhat skewed. Most firearms were outdated weapons from the First World War. Charles was not sure if more advanced weapons were unavailable or simply not listed.
"Charles, these things may look good, but they're not very useful. Besides, many things on the islands can't be dealt with using bullets."
The words of the muscular man brought Charles back to a state of calm. His words were right. In the face of the islands' various abnormalities, straightforward violence had limited effectiveness.
Charles didn't believe that replacing his revolver with other firearms would make a fundamental difference when it came to confronting the island with the golden statue. Firearms couldn't stop the tampering of memories.
"Then, what do you guys use?" Charles asked.
"Human lives," a hoarse voice came from the side and turned the enthusiastic atmosphere among the crowd down a notch.
The speaker was a middle-aged man with a dark complexion and a hooked nose. Leaning forward, he stared at Charles with his gray irises.
"I know what you want to ask. You were hoping that we seasoned explorers have some secret techniques for exploration, right? Well, indeed, each of us possesses different abilities," he said as he raised up a single hand, and a blue flame flickered in his palm.
"But even if we have relics with peculiar powers, the mortality rate among Explorers is still alarmingly high. Behind every successful governor, there are thousands of deaths. You were lucky the last time that you managed to come out unscathed. But don't blame me for speaking the truth. Reality is cruel."
Hearing his words, Charles actually felt somewhat reassured. The Subterranean Sea never showed mercy to humans.
He addressed the other captains before him, "Everyone, we can chat another time. I need to prepare the supplies for my next expedition."
The moment Charles walked out the door, the burly man expressed his confusion, "What do you think he's going to do up north? Is he really going to search for the Land of Light?"
No one answered his question, and silence consumed the hall.
For the next half a month, Charles was far from idle. Apart from gathering provisions, he devoted himself to physical training and honing his marksmanship.
The Subterranean Seascape was merciless, but he would not abandon his convictions.
The days on land passed quickly, and before he knew it, half a month had gone by.
The sleek, brand-new exploration ship quietly rested at the dock. Its streamlined hull, black deck guns glinting in the opposite light, and the sturdy structure captivated Charles the moment his gaze landed on it.
"She's truly beautiful, don't you think?" Charles spoke with excitement and anticipation in his voice.
"Captain, what's her name? Please don't tell me it's still S.S. Mouse," Dipp asked. He had four sailors standing behind him.
Looking at the massive steel cannon with a caliber of 125mm, Charles pondered for a moment before answering, "Narwhale. Let's name her Narwhale!"
With the new ship's name decided, Charles turned to face the unfamiliar faces. The Narwhale was not like S.S. Mouse, a cargo vessel where it didn't matter how many people were on board. As an exploration vessel, it needed a full crew, and not a single crew position was left unfilled.
There were 13 crew members in total: a boatswain, four sailors, a first mate, a second mate, a chief engineer, a second engineer, a third engineer, a chef, an assistant chef, and a captain.
The crew members varied in age, height, and background, but they were all men. Some of them were locals bearing the distinctive trait of deformed ears.
While Charles observed them, the crew members also looked at him with curiosity in their eyes.
Being on a ship was different from being on land. Once at sea, the entire ship became a closed environment, and the captain was the king on board. He held the fate of everyone in his hands. If a captain was unreliable, he could bring doom upon all the crew members.
When they saw Charles's face, their worries eased a bit. Although this captain with black eyes was young, many recognized him to be an experienced captain.
"I believe all of you know what we are here for. I won't deceive any of you. The current mortality rate for exploration ships is one in five. If anyone wishes to back out, you still have a chance."
Not a single person in the group made a move. No one standing here was a first-timer. They knew the risks of this expedition and also understood the potential benefits that would come from successfully exploring a new island.
If the captain became the governor of a new island, even lowly crew members like them would rise to great heights. Going to sea was a gamble with their lives, so why not take a bigger risk?
"Very well, crew, all aboard!"
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