It is said that in the distant and cold cold sea, an organization known as the "Commonwealth of Northern City-States" is being established in the night.

The legendary "Lieutenant General of Steel" led his legions of undead to rule the night, taking control of the situation before the tension accumulated between the city-states due to the lack of sunlight broke through the extremes, Cold Harbor and Morpheus Harbor were the original supporters, and made an alliance in the witness of the Sea Mist-

Now, a mighty combined fleet has been built to protect the sun-starved city-states in an increasingly dangerous and twisted night, while the "Sunshine Distribution Committee", a joint effort of the city-states and churches, keeps a close watch on the sun's debris as it falls on the sea, to ensure that the afterglow of the apocalypse can illuminate the darkest parts of the night.

Heidi put down the newspaper in her hand and looked up at her mother, who was sitting by the candlestick—the generator in the city had been repaired, and now the bright electric light was lighting the living room again, but her mother still had her set up a candlestick in the living room and promised that at least one candle would be lit at all times.

"Now no northern city-state is allowed to have sun fragments for a long time, and the 'Sunshine Distribution Committee' has those fragments rotated between the city-states in case some places change due to long-term darkness," Heidi said about the news she heard when she went to the city hall before, "So now the northern city-states are actually taking turns to 'own the day', and the large engineering ships that tow the sun fragments are cruising on the cold sea, and each 'little sun' maintains the safety and ...... of each city-state."

Speaking of this, she paused, and then continued: "And in this way, the once-suspended maritime activities between the city-states have also been restarted - cargo ships can depart with the engineering ships that are pulling the sun's fragments, although generally less efficient than before, but at least the logistics between the city-states have been restored......"

She stopped, thought about it, and couldn't help but sigh from the bottom of her heart: "It's really amazing...... It seems that the 'Iron Lieutenant General' is not a 'King of the Undead' who executes the reign of terror, as some rumors have claimed......"

"Rumors are rarely credible, and don't forget, the Lost Country is still looking for hope for us at the end of the world," the mother said with a hint of a smile on her face, doing needlework in her hands, "and that's what you heard from the town hall?" ”

"There aren't that many details in the newspapers," Heidi said, gesturing to the newspaper on her desk, "I heard from someone in the secretary's office that the details about the Northern City-States Commonwealth and the Sunshine Distribution Committee were not made public in the newspapers, but they weren't classified. ”

The mother thought for a moment and slowly spoke, "Really...... Then it looks like we'll soon have our own city-state federation and sunshine distribution committee. ”

Heidi was stunned for a moment, she didn't seem to think so much.

"It's a good way to survive, and now, if you can survive in the night, you can get the city-state's administrators into action—if the news reaches your ears, it means that the matter is at least halfway through among the archons," the mother said casually, her tone seemed to be a little relieved, "the northern city-states are off to a good start...... The 'Iron Admiral' showed us a way forward, and as the news spread, the city-states of the other seas had to consider this plan on the surface, whatever they had in mind. ”

“…… What if the city-states that have already received the Sun Fragments are not willing to cooperate? Heidi understood what her mother meant, but couldn't help but be a little worried, "After all...... Not all of them are so selfless. ”

The mother thought for a moment, and suddenly asked a seemingly irrelevant question: "It is said that the fleet of the church docked at the military port west of Plender two days ago?" ”

"Yes, the Deep Sea Church's 'Sea Abyss' and the Truth Academy's 'Logic' are leading their respective escort formations," Heidi nodded, "saying that they stopped on the way to patrol the safety of the seas." ”

"That's right, Heidi," Mother nodded, smiling dotingly, "Guess why that 'Vice Admiral of Steel' first step in establishing a city-state federation was to build a combined fleet under his control?" ”

Heidi finally had a hint on her face - she was a respected psychiatrist and a brilliant scholar at the School of Truth, but she was obviously a little slow to react outside of her own area of expertise, but even then, she understood.

"Heidi, we should celebrate, after so long after getting dark, something good is finally going to happen," said the mother, with a smile on her face, as she slowly got up and walked to the kitchen, "I'll make some good dishes, and I'll take out the few good bottles of wine your father treasured—we'll open one, and he won't mind." ”

"Oh...... Oh," Heidi subconsciously agreed to get up, but then suddenly remembered something, "Ah, but my father has quit drinking, and his wine collection is ......."

"In the basement, there is a wooden box next to the white shelf, which looks like there is only one floor, but from the side there is a raised wooden block that can be pulled apart, and there is a mezzanine," said the mother casually, "and there are five bottles of wine in the stool behind the shelf in the deepest part of the basement, you can pick one bottle and bring it." ”

Heidi was dumbfounded: "......"

The mother turned back in front of the kitchen with a victor's expression on her face: "How else can I not know him?" ”

……

On the bow of the Lost Land, Maurice suddenly felt a chill hit him, and although there was almost no wind in the calm seas, he felt that the cold wind had almost blown through the oil pump and miniature steam core of his cast.

"What's wrong with you?" Vanna asked curiously, noticing a slight noise coming from Morris's body.

"Weird...... This body should not be afraid of the cold, but why do I feel chills in my heart? Morris grunted, wiping his pipe, "It feels like something you treasure has suddenly disappeared, or something in a bank safe has been taken......"

The old scholar was halfway through his sentence when the captain's voice came from behind him: "You describe it in a way that reminds me of an old man...... The good things in his house were stolen by the monkeys. ”

Morris turned around and saw Duncan standing in front of him with a subtle expression.

"I haven't heard this story," the old scholar's face was a little dazed, "what is 'monkey'?" ”

Duncan thought for a moment: "...... An animal that you think lives in subspace. ”

Morriston's face was full of awe and he didn't ask any more questions—but Vana next to him was still seriously analyzing the initial topic, when he suddenly looked at the old scholar very seriously: "Could it be a warning from the god of wisdom?" Did you foresee what was coming? ”

"That's not it, it's not that serious," Morris quickly waved his hand, "if it's a revelation from the Lord, it's not as simple as chilling in my heart—it's probably because my wife found out that the wine I hid was not a big problem." ”

"Oh," Vana nodded, quickly turning her attention away from the question and instead of focusing on the captain, "Captain, when are we leaving this sea?" ”

When it came to business, Duncan's expression immediately became serious.

He looked up at the black island with its huge palace in the distance, and the misty remains of the Leviathan around it, and reached into his pocket, a slightly cold touch of metal coming from his fingertips.

It was the "second key" used to wind the doll.

"We're going to stay here for half a day, and I'm going to study the 'route' that Gomona has given me," he said with a serious face, "and before I 'come back', keep an eye out for movement inside and outside the ship, especially if anything has changed in the nearby sea – and if so, make a note of it." ”

Maurice immediately nodded: "Understood, Captain. ”

Duncan turned and left the deck.

The scene was quiet for a while, and then Vanna turned around and looked at the black islands in the distance, large and small, and did not make a sound for a long time.

"What are you thinking?" Morris asked next to her.

“…… Ever since I was very young, I often heard the sound of the waves in my dreams, and the crashing waves crashed against the reef softly and gently," Vanna whispered, "and after I finished my church studies, I learned how to pray, and in prayer, I could always hear the sound of the waves...... which is the sound of the kingdom of God, as the Storm Book says. ”

She paused, and after a moment of silence, she raised her hand and pointed to the calm and dead sea in the distance: "But you listen—there is no sound of waves here, the sea is so calm, as if it were dead, only when the ship is sailing, the surface of the water will make some noise." ”

The gentle sound of the waves sounded in her head, as if to soothe something.

"These are the voices he remembers," Vana said softly, after a moment of silence, "and he said he hadn't seen the undulating sea for many, many years—almost forgetting what it was like when the wind rolled up the waves. ”

Morris didn't speak, just slowly shoved the unlit pipe into his mouth and calmly stayed by Vanna's side.

……

In the captain's bedroom, Alice looked curiously at the brass key with its unique shape.

"I've got a new key!" With a surprised gaze, her tone sounded quite happy, and after taking the key in Duncan's hand, she looked at it over and over, "The structure of the handle is different, the previous one was a lying 8, this is a circle pierced by an arrow?" What does this circle mean? ”

"Probably referring to the 'outer barrier' that surrounds the Boundless Sea," Duncan said casually, looking at the heartless puppet in front of him with some helplessness, "Can't you be a little nervous?" No one knows what will happen when the key is turned. ”

Alice tilted her head, thought about it for a moment, and felt as if she should be nervous.

"Like...... yes," she scratched her head, her tone a little uncertain, "I'm a little nervous, but no matter what happens, you'll be able to handle it, right?" ”

Duncan was stunned, sighed helplessly, and then laughed.

"Yes," he said, picking up the new key and nodding lightly to Miss Doll, "just leave it to me." ”

(End of chapter)