Sail Shadows in the Sea of ​​Fog

Chapter 12 Your Highness, Please Stop the Boat

"No news yet from Prince Gabriel?"

In the Sea of ​​Despair, in the flagship of the eight-ship fleet of the Royal Demon Hunter Group of Boerland, a bearded captain asked.

"No news," his first mate replied immediately. "No messenger has come back yet."

Captain Altus

In the captain's cabin, a middle-aged man in a butler's uniform gently reminded, "Your mission is to ensure Prince Gabriel's safety. If Xin Weng doesn't fly back, I think we should send a ship over to check."

"Butler Shuld, have you forgotten the requirements in the treasure map?"

Captain Altus said in a cold tone, "The Savage Island only allows one ship to dock every hundred years. Don't forget, the island is guarded by a swallowing monster. Our ships can't even make it burp."

"And Prince Gabriel carries the Sailor's Tombstone and the Dark Elf Poison. He also possesses the gift of never getting lost."

The first mate chimed in, "Those savages and crocodiles on the island are no match for him."

"That's better," said Butler Shuld, turning and walking out of the captain's room.

"I hate this ass-selling sissy"

Captain Altus's eyes flashed with murderous intent. "He wants to instigate us to enter the Savage Road to prevent Prince Gabriel from finding the Vine Mandrill."

"So that Prince Marian can inherit the throne?" the first mate guessed.

"It can only be for Prince Marian," Captain Artus said firmly, "and more importantly, for the treasure map left by Count Walesa."

"How about we kill him?" the first mate suggested in a low voice. "This is the Sea of ​​Despair. It's normal for anyone to die here."

"Marian and the Archduke's spies are also on board."

Captain Artus lowered his voice. "Pick a fast ship, man it with our men, and roam the surrounding waters. I suspect Prince Gabriel may have already left."

"You mean, he left us behind as bait?" The first mate's tone revealed a hint of disappointment that was not hidden.

"This may be the only option for Prince Gabriel to survive."

Captain Artus muttered, analyzing, "Are you going to let him rendezvous with us in a ship manned by vine goblins? I'd bet all my gold and the flintlock muskets the Archduke gifted me that someone in this fleet would open fire on him the moment his ship came within range."

"I'll arrange it right away!" the first mate said immediately. "I'll go myself!"

"Get the passengers drunk first," Captain Altos warned, "especially that damn sissy."

"Leave it to me!" Before the first mate finished speaking, he had already run out of the captain's room.

"belch--!"

In the kitchen of the Valkyrie, Cheng Lang drank the last sip of fruit wine and filled his stomach with seafood.

He had to admit that both the sweet fruit wine and the seafood that had just been cooked with seawater tasted very good.

Feeling at ease, Cheng Lang left the task of cleaning the kitchen to Tengxiao and staggered back to the captain's room. He wanted to continue to have a good sleep.

After all, he was the only one at the helm of the ship. Rather than rushing on while the sea conditions were not so violent, it would be more sensible to keep his spirits up to deal with the violent sea.

Thanks to the alcohol, he slept particularly comfortably, and at least he was not disturbed, so he was able to sleep until he woke up naturally.

Stretching and getting up, Cheng Lang walked to the floor-to-ceiling window and looked out. The sky outside was much darker at this time, but the sea conditions were still good, and the thick fog had finally dissipated completely. All of the above were good news.

"Magic Mirror, did anything unexpected happen while I was resting?" Cheng Lang asked after putting on his clothes.

"There are indeed some minor issues that have arisen. There is good news and bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?"

"Good news," Cheng Lang said.

The Magic Mirror's tone became more flattering. "After a whole night of repairs, the boat has been restored to its original state."

"Where's the bad news?"

"Because the Valkyrie has been stranded for too long, so..."

"Hurry up and say it"

"So the cannons we moved from another ship seem to have been used as repair materials." The magic mirror said, and the situation of the gun deck also appeared on the mirror.

Cheng Lang turned his head to look over casually, but was dumbfounded. This was not a gun deck at all. There were only rust lumps left on this layer!
"Is there any more?" Cheng Lang asked after taking a deep breath.

“Yes, there are some.”

"Say!"

"The gold, silver, and copper coins that Vine Xiao looted from that ship yesterday were also used as ship repair materials."

"Not a single one left?" Cheng Lang asked with his eyes wide open. He didn't even have time to see how many gold coins he had found!
"Not a single copper left," the magic mirror said cautiously, "and you've even used up the golden statue of Poseidon you brought back."

"Anything else?" Cheng Lang, his heart bleeding, asked expressionlessly.

"The crocodile's bones and leather armor were also used."

After the magic mirror finished speaking, it added recklessly, "If we take those things out of the Sea of ​​Despair, they can be sold for at least a few thousand gold coins."

"Is there any more?" Cheng Lang asked with difficulty.

"That's all. That's all."

Seeing Cheng Lang's increasingly grim expression, the magic mirror spoke more cautiously, "Well, respected, honorable captain, should we continue our journey? The sea conditions are very good now."

"set off!"

Cheng Lang gritted his teeth and said, then turned and walked out of the bedroom. Standing by the steering wheel, he said to Teng Xiao who was waiting beside him, "Set sail! Set sail!"

“Ouch! Oh—!”

As the vine golem roared by the window, there were immediate responses from the open deck.

With a "crash", the sail fell down under the pull of the vines, and was inflated by the sea breeze in an instant.

As for the losses that occurred while he was asleep, even though Cheng Lang was furious, he had nowhere to vent his anger.

The only thing he could do was to comfort himself that at least the things were not wasted.

Under the flattering guidance of the magic mirror, the reborn Valkyrie sped up. As the sky grew darker, the vine goblins on the deck lit the ship's lanterns as the sails became tattered again.

However, Cheng Lang had just been sailing for less than an hour when he heard the magic mirror shouting behind him.

After taking a look at the sea conditions outside, Cheng Lang turned around and asked, "What's wrong?"

"There seems to be a ship far off to our starboard side!" the magic mirror replied immediately.

"Are you sure?" Cheng Lang asked as he gripped the steering wheel again.

"I am a mirror, I will not be wrong." The magic mirror said, and a picture appeared on the mirror surface.

Looking back, I saw a few lights flashing in the deep night, and then went out one after another.

"The other party turned off the ship's lights. They must have discovered us!" The magic mirror replied in panic.

"Turn off the ship lights!" Cheng Lang immediately gave the order.

Suddenly, the lighthouses on both sides of the stern and the ship lights hanging all over the ship went out one after another as the vine goblins were busy.

"Who do you think it is?" Cheng Lang asked without turning his head.

"It could be a risk ship, a pirate ship, or a warship."

The tension in Magic Mirror's tone increased. "Whichever it is, they turned off the ship's lights because they either don't want us to find them, or they want to rob us."

"The latter possibility is probably more likely." Cheng Lang's heart had sunk to the bottom.

"I think so too," the magic mirror said quickly. "Respected Captain, should we change course?"

"No, let's continue on our way."

Cheng Lang made a decision. There was no point in changing course at this time. The most important thing was to keep as much distance as possible.

At the same time, he was also analyzing his own disadvantages. It was obvious that the Valkyrie's biggest shortcoming was itself, followed by the lack of crucial long-range firepower.

Thinking of this, Cheng Lang pulled out the Mirage Horn from his neck, brought it to his mouth and blew it hard.

"beep--"

Amidst the deep blast of the horn, the sea within a one-nautical-mile radius around the Valkyrie began to boil, and then a thick mist rose. Immediately afterwards, he shifted the ship's center and once again activated his now-cooled invisibility ability.

Under the cover of the giant jellyfish, the Valkyrie, which had hidden its body, quietly left the fog created by the horn at the fastest speed.

Now, he could only hope that the boat in the distance would focus on the fog behind him, giving him a chance to sail away.

To the right rear of the Valkyrie, two eagles flapped their wings and flew off the deck, heading towards the fleet behind them in the night.

"Let's catch up!" In the cab of the speedboat, Captain Artus's first mate gave orders on behalf of the captain.

Soon, driven by the sea breeze, the boat ran faster and faster, and finally plunged into the sea fog created by Cheng Lang, and rushed out from the other end shortly afterwards.

"Have you found him?" asked the first mate.

"Not yet, but this course is definitely leaving the Sea of ​​Despair. We should be able to catch up!" replied the captain of the ship.

"Xin Weng"

After the first mate finished speaking, he picked up the quill on the table, wrote another letter, put it in the glass bottle, and handed it to the sailor waiting beside him.

The latter immediately stuffed the finger-sized glass bottle with a wooden stopper and dipped it in melted wax, then tied it around the neck of a white oriole.

"Flap!" With the sound of flapping wings, the letter bird also flew out of the window.

"Use your ability to find that ship," the first mate turned and ordered the captain of the ship.

"Yes!"

The captain immediately responded with his head held high and chest puffed out, then took out his captain's token, an owl-shaped whistle.

"drop--!"

Amidst a sharp whistle, a large black bird with a wingspan of over five meters flew in from a distance and finally stood steadily on a huge windowsill that seemed to have been specially reserved for it.

"laugh"

The captain cut his fingertips with a sharp dagger, then smeared the gushing blood on the seabird's eyes, and then smeared it on his own eyes.

"Pfft!"

The fat captain sat down on the captain's chair, and the black seabird turned around a little clumsily, flapped its wings, left the ship, and flew into the night sky.

A few hours later, Captain Artus in the rear fleet received an urgent letter from Xin Weng.

“Looks like it really worked.”

Captain Altus felt a little relieved after reading the letter, but then he invited Butler Schuld.

"Gabriel seems to have succeeded"

Captain Altus offered Steward Schuld a glass of wine as he spoke, "My first mate has gone after him with all the prince's henchmen."

"After you have defeated the rebels and the pirates who kidnapped Prince Gabriel."

Steward Shuld clinked his wine glass with Captain Altus's, "Prince Marian promised to grant you the hereditary title of earl in the future."

"Prince Marian will be the best king Boerland has ever seen," Captain Artus said sincerely, "the best king."

"I have no doubt about it, Captain Altus, so let's get started," Butler Shuld urged.

"Fleet, listen!"

Captain Artus, still holding his glass, walked out of the captain's cabin and shouted, "First Officer Wakeman and Captain Dudley took advantage of the celebration banquet to defect and are colluding with pirates to kidnap Prince Gabriel. The entire fleet must immediately pursue and annihilate them. Not a single piece of wood will be allowed to float on the sea!"

"Yes!"

The many sailors on the ship responded loudly, and soon, the seven warships with strong firepower all changed direction and followed the flagship commanded by Captain Altus to charge towards the "rebel ship".

"I found it! No! A ghost ship! It's a ghost ship!"

In the captain's cabin, Captain Dudley, who was sitting in a chair with his eyes tightly closed, shouted in horror, "I see it! It's a three-masted sailboat! Tattered sails! Black hull! And scarlet eyes on the masts! Lots of scarlet eyes!"

"Did you just say scarlet eyes?" First Mate Wakeman asked immediately.

"That's right! Scarlet eyes! There are so many of them!"

Captain Dudley shuddered, "The ship has no lights on! But those scarlet eyes are very conspicuous!"

"That's right! It's Prince Gabriel!"

First Mate Wakeman said excitedly, "Those red eyes are vine goblins! They are vine goblins! Just like what's recorded in the treasure map! Quick! Land on their masts and take a close look to see if Prince Gabriel is on board. He'll definitely recognize him."

"what--!"

Just at this moment, Captain Dudley let out a scream and blood suddenly flowed from his eyes.

"He discovered me!" After saying this, Captain Dudley, who was covering his eyes, also fainted.

"Snapped!"

On the second-floor open deck of the Valkyrie, accompanied by a crisp whip crack, a large black bird that had just landed on the mast was whipped in half by Cheng Lang.

"What was that just now?" Cheng Lang asked as he returned to the indoor cab.

"It must be the spying ability of a certain captain."

The magic mirror replied, "The big black bird disappeared immediately after being hit, without even a drop of blood left. This can only be the ability of a certain captain."

Hearing this, Cheng Lang was silent for a moment before saying, "Change course! Left rudder 60!"

"Whoa whoa!"

The goblins outside the window responded immediately and adjusted the sails as he turned the steering wheel.

"Where are we going?" the magic mirror asked nervously.

"I don't know either"

Cheng Lang answered truthfully, "But we must change course. Magic Mirror, can you guide me back to the original route?"

"Of course, my dear Captain!"

The magic mirror's tone also became more excited. "I am 100% sure that I can guide you back here."

Under Cheng Lang's control, the Valkyrie, which was originally sailing against the wind, now sailed completely with the wind, and the speed also increased sharply.

At the same time, he was also keeping an eye on the ship's clock on the shelf on the side of the steering wheel.

The Mirage Horn that he stole from the royal noble of Boerland can only be used once every 12 hours. It will take a long time before he can blow the Mirage Horn again.

What’s even worse is that the jellyfish that made the ship invisible just disappeared completely an hour ago.

In other words, he had to find a large enough area of ​​sea fog to hide in as soon as possible before he could use the ability to hide the ship again.

Unfortunately, things did not go as planned. As the sky gradually brightened, the sea breeze became stronger and stronger, but there was no trace of fog on the sea.

On the contrary, he could even see the sailboat that seemed to be following him in the distance through the magic mirror!

Even above the Valkyrie, the big bird seen last night appeared again. The only difference was that the bird had turned light blue and no longer landed on the mast. Instead, it was circling nearly a hundred meters above the head.

Cheng Lang knew that he couldn't hide.

"What should we do? What should we do?" the magic mirror asked in panic.

"Never mind it, just keep running, as far as you can."

Cheng Lang gritted his teeth and said, "As long as we can find a patch of sea fog, there is hope."

Having said that, the vast ocean is endless, so where can we see any sea fog?
"The boat is coming!"

The magic mirror said in panic, "I saw it! It's Poseidon's lackeys! It's the warship of the Principality of Boerland! They even sent out flag signals! They said huh? Huh?"

"What's wrong? What did they say?" Cheng Lang asked subconsciously.

"they said"

The magic mirror said in a strange tone, "They said that Your Highness, please stop the boat, Prince?"

(End of this chapter)