Time has eroded the written word, and the dislocation inside and outside the border has distorted the carrier of the text into a different shape—on the old and tattered shroud, only a few messy words such as "Karani", "Border", and "Leviathan" can now be faintly recognized, and even if you can distinguish these words, you need to give full play to the ability to observe and associate.

Anomaly 077 stared at the shroud in front of him in amazement - it had been sent from the White Oak's warehouse by the captain's orders, and had been sitting in the ship's containment chamber since he lost his peace and became a member of the White Oak.

"It's been a long time since I've looked at it closely...... No, I don't seem to have looked at it closely," Anomaly 077 muttered softly, withered fingers slowly rubbing the traces of what looked like dirt on the surface of the shroud, but were actually mottled words, "I never found any of these words......

"It's normal, if you don't look for it, you usually think that these marks are inconsequential dirt, even if you see them," Lawrence said lightly, "If it weren't for Martha's keen observation and thinking of this possibility in advance, who would have linked the imprints on this rag to Captain Carani's journal?" What's more, there are only traces left on it...... Valid information has been worn out. ”

"Yes, there are only traces left...... "the sailor said in frustration, "it is not a captain's journal at all, and these staccato letters are of no use...... It was supposed to be a thick book, not a rag like this......"

"It may have something to do with your return from beyond the border to the Infinite Sea, and that 'six-nautical-mile threshold' seems to change the nature of something forever," Lawrence said, "it turns you into Anomaly 077, and Captain Carani's journal into a shroud on you—but either way, these are crucial clues, and 'he' needs them." ”

The "sailor" stood silently beside the shroud, suddenly becoming very quiet, as if he was engaged in a violent psychological struggle, and hesitated for a long time before slowly nodding his head.

"Okay, send me over, 'he' has been waiting for a long time."

Lawrence immediately exhaled softly, then took a half step back to the side, and almost at the same time, an illusory dark green flame appeared where he had just stood—

The flames rose into the air, and in the blink of an eye, the almost transparent illusory form acquired the physical texture of flowing water, and the captain's power crossed the distance, projecting Lawrence as a beacon in the room, and then the center of the flame swirled and contracted, and then squirmed and swollen, and a terrifying skeletal bird rushed out of the flame vortex!

Seeing this, the "sailor" instantly took half a step back, stared at the spinning flame door and the giant bone bird hovering near the ceiling, and then turned his head to look at Lawrence: "...... Is this really okay? ”

"That's when you remembered to hesitate?" Lawrence narrowed his eyes, "Don't say you don't want to go now—that's not the kind of treatment that 'he' personally came over to drag you from!" ”

The "sailor" suddenly shrunk his neck, and took two steps in the direction of the flame gate with a tangled face, but stopped halfway through: "Does this thing hurt?" ”

Lawrence silently walked over and came behind the "sailor".

The "sailor" suddenly felt excited, as if goosebumps that had been necrotic more than two centuries ago had been resurrected: "Don't don't, I'll enter, I'll enter ...... by myself"

As he spoke, he walked towards the swirling flame, then gritted his teeth and closed his eyes, stretched out his hand and touched the flame vortex, and instantly withdrew his hand: "Hey, why does it seem to be a little hot...... Captain, why don't we think about individual ......?"

Lawrence flew up: "Just you talk a lot of nonsense!" ”

The short exclamation of the "sailor" disappeared into the whistling of flames.

"Full of oil, let's go!" The skeletal bird monster hovering near the ceiling screamed, and then rushed into the flaming gate—but the next second it emerged from the door, clawed at the shroud, and turned back into the door.

Lawrence sighed softly.

But just as he was about to walk away, the swirling flame gate suddenly crackled open again, and Aye, who had just left, came out of the gate again.

The Bone Bird approached Lawrence, flapped its wings in the latter's stunned gaze, and uttered a hoarse voice: "Fries on the fries ......"

Lawrence was almost startled by the "messenger", and finally took two steps back to stand firm, only to realize that he had forgotten the important "sacrifice" and "medium" needed to summon the messenger, and suddenly cold sweat fell: "I...... Didn't prepare ......"

The Bone Giant tilted its head and stared into Lawrence's eyes with its hollow sockets covered in flames, who slowly tensed up, and in the short seconds that Lawrence's mind had already carouseled through the many classic cases related to summoning and sacrifice that had been circulating among the captains of the Infinite Sea—

When the XX wizard tried to summon the shadow of the spirit world, he prepared the wrong sacrifice and was slapped to death by the powerful anti-devouring force of the shadow; The XX cultist did not use enough sacrifices when trying to summon demons, and was slapped to death by the enraged demons on the wall; The XX Truth Saint accidentally touched the spell that summoned evil spirits while studying ancient relics, and as a result, because he did not prepare a sacrifice, he had to slap the out-of-control evil spirits to death on the wall......

Lawrence didn't quite know what the temper of the strange messenger named "Say" beside the captain was, but he made a quick judgment and felt that it would be difficult for him to slap the bird to death on the wall.

He swallowed nervously, and began to regret his careless actions - although they were theoretically all followers of Captain Duncan, God knows if the "courier" who didn't look like a human face would have the concept ......of a "colleague".

Then he saw that the giant skeletal bird in front of him suddenly retracted its head, turned around and flew towards the flame gate, scolding and scolding as he flew back: "No overtime pay will be paid for any broken shifts, and no overtime pay will be paid for any broken shifts......

Then the horrible messenger disappeared into the room along with the door.

Lawrence: "......? ”

……

Duncan looked at Anomaly 077, which was almost thrown out of the portal by Ay, and turned his head to look at the pigeon spirit who seemed to be still puffing up, pacing around the coffee table, feeling a little confused: "What's wrong with this pigeon?" ”

Alice scratched her hair when she heard this: "I don't know, it doesn't seem to be very happy anyway......"

“…… Anyway, let's get it something to eat, and it should be happy again. ”

Duncan waved his hand casually, and after a casual order, his attention returned to Anomaly 077, who was staggering to his feet while holding his waist.

"Long time no see, 'Sailor'."

Anomaly 077, who was struggling to get up and seemed to try to avoid eye contact with the others in the living room, heard the captain take the initiative to greet him, and his body trembled visibly, as if he could no longer escape, and finally stood up straight, looking around cautiously in tension.

"Uh...... It's been a long time since the captain hasn't seen you, it's been a long time since you've seen you, it's been a long time since you......"

He spun around and greeted everyone in the living room, just as he had every time he had been in front of Captain Duncan before, but suddenly, he stopped.

Helena stood not far away.

The female pope who was in charge of the Deep Sea Church quietly stared at the dried corpse in front of her, looking at the other party's shriveled, thin, and terrifying appearance, she frowned a little, as if trying to remember the appearance of the first mate of the Sea Song that she had personally met not long ago, but no matter what, she couldn't seem to connect the loyal and resolute first mate with the "Anomaly 077" with a terrible face in front of her.

After observing for a long time, Helena broke her silence: "I don't recognize you." ”

"Yes, we haven't seen each other in over two hundred years—maybe even longer," the dry corpse grinned, making a hoarse voice, and slowly took two steps in Helena's direction, as if to salute, but raised his hand and put it down again, gesturing, "...... I can't remember that gesture. ”

"You're the first mate of the Sea Song?" Helena asked—though the question didn't seem necessary.

"Yes, that's what I remember," said the sailor, raising his hand and pointing at his head, "but the jumbled impressions are buzzing here, and I don't remember much of the details, except that before we set sail, Captain Karani and I received your personal blessing on the ark, and you anointed us on our wrists...... The sun hadn't quite set yet. ”

Helena hesitated for a few seconds: "...... Yes, that was not so long ago. ”

"It was a long time ago for me," the sailor muttered, glancing back in Duncan's direction, "I've already told you what I know, and Captain Lawrence should have reported back to you what I didn't mention?" ”

Duncan nodded, went to the low table, and reached for the dirty, tattered looking "rag" - not paying any attention to its disgusting texture: "This is the 'shroud' that Lawrence mentioned?" ”

Several eyes in the living room were focused on Duncan's hand at the same time, Helena couldn't help but take a step forward, and the "sailor" nodded: "Yes, it is...... It still has Captain Carani's handwriting on it, and while I don't know why it came to be, it's supposed to be the Sea Song's Captain's Journal...... She left Captain Carani to me before she dissipated, one of the few things I remember very clearly. ”

Duncan looked at the "handwriting" on the rags and slowly frowned: "...... It's completely unrecognizable. ”

"Unfortunately, I'm afraid it will be like this by the time I return to the Infinite Sea," the sailor shook his head, "the border...... It prevents us from bringing home secrets from outside the world. ”

Duncan listened silently, thinking quietly, and everyone in the living room fell silent, except for the ticking of the clock echoing in the silence.

After a long time, Duncan suddenly raised his head: "Mind if I do some 'excessive' tests on it?" ”

(End of chapter)