It was an island with a zigzag coast and rocky cliffs. The island was shrouded in a layer of fog, and the situation on it could not be seen clearly. Only the undulating terrain and what looked like jagged rocks hidden in the fog could be vaguely discerned. Or an eerie silhouette like a collapsed building.
It appeared very suddenly, and even seemed to appear out of thin air near the White Oak.
"What is that?" The first mate looked at the silhouette of the island appearing on the sea in the distance in amazement. The nervousness and fear caused by the concept of "sun" suddenly came back to his mind. At this moment, he saw another suddenly appeared Island, so much so that even he, an old sailor who has been dealing with the boundless sea for many years, has a trembling voice at the moment, "An island... Is there such an island near Hanshuang? Is there such an island on our scheduled route?" "
"There is no scheduled route anymore. The White Oak is sailing in a strange sea - we are far away from the real world and everything we see is normal," Lawrence's calm voice came, as if it had a calming tone. Strength, although he was shocked by the disappearance of the "sun" a second ago, the old captain seemed to have completely calmed down at this moment, "As for the island... there is a 'Dagger Island' near Hanshuang, but I am not sure if it is... …It doesn’t look like the one on the identification chart.”
"What should we do?" The first mate turned his head, "Should we get closer? Or stay away from it?"
Lawrence fell silent, weighing quickly in his mind.
That island appeared suddenly, just after I and the first mate suddenly realized the concept of "sun". Is its appearance related to cognitive modification?
That island is shrouded in fog. Is that a real thick fog or an illusion caused by cognitive bias?
Is that island fixed? Is it really possible for the White Oak to stay away? If the island's appearance was somehow "intentional," then no matter how the White Oak ran, it would likely continue to appear in front of the ship.
But in any case, from a cautious point of view, one should not approach rashly.
"Go around it," Lawrence said solemnly, "go around it to the left and stay away at full speed."
"Yes, Captain!"
The first mate ran quickly to the bridge. A moment later, a loud whistle sounded over the White Oak. Lawrence felt that the ship under his feet began to turn, and the steam engine deep in the hull was roaring with power.
Many sailors have noticed the sudden appearance of the island. Some people approached the edge of the deck and looked nervously at the fog-shrouded island in the distance. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, the island was thrown away little by little to the white oak. After the number, and gradually go away.
Lawrence breathed a sigh of relief, turned around and walked towards the bridge.
His steps suddenly stopped.
A figure appeared in his field of vision - wearing a women's captain's uniform, with slightly curly long hair spread behind his head, arms crossed, and a slight smile on his face.
"Do you still remember what I said?" The figure spoke, with a deep sense of helplessness in his tone, "You really should retire, don't wait until I show up on your ship to start regretting it...Lawrence, you have already old."
"Martha..." Lawrence subconsciously called out the name, and then he quickly reached into his pocket to take out the bottle of potion.
At the same time, a burst of consternation also filled his mind - why so fast? Why did the effect of the potion wear off so early? It's only been a day since Martha last appeared...is the potion's duration already so short?
He felt that his palms were shaking and his arms were shaking. He finally touched the bottle of potion, but just when he was about to open the bottle, a hand suddenly rested on his arm.
At some point, Martha had arrived beside him. She stretched out her hand and pressed the old captain's arm with a worried expression on her face.
"The medicine has stopped working, and you actually know it," Martha said softly. "You drink it now, and I will leave for a little while, and then reappear. You drink the whole bottle, and I will leave for a little longer." , but it still happens...Lawrence, the medicine doesn't work anymore."
"I...I don't understand..." Lawrence blinked hesitantly. He looked at the most friendly face in his memory, but he only felt a cold breath spreading in his heart. "I know my state, that spirit Doctors are also brilliant experts, but why..."
"Your mind is being affected, Lawrence, don't you feel it? This sea is affecting you," Martha said softly - perhaps it was Martha's voice, or perhaps Lawrence's own subconscious speaking. Obviously, Subconsciously, the experienced old captain had already noticed some truth, "As you stay here, your mind is deteriorating at a faster pace. Be careful, Lawrence, you are already in the middle of the sea..."
"How should I get out of here?" Lawrence spoke subconsciously, and before he knew it, he had let go of the potion bottle in his hand.
The small medicine bottle fell on the deck, making a crisp crackling sound. The half bottle of medicine inside flowed out and mixed with the water on the deck, becoming indistinguishable from each other.
Lawrence lowered his head and stared blankly at the broken potion bottle.
Martha still held his arm and spoke softly: "Go to the frost..."
Lawrence was startled, as if he suddenly woke up from a dream. He raised his head, only to see that there was no one beside him - only a little residual heat remained on his arm.
A rush of footsteps suddenly came from not far away. Lawrence looked up and saw the first mate walking quickly towards him.
"Captain, we've got rid of the island," the first mate said quickly, but then he raised his head again and looked around curiously, as if looking for something, "Where was the person who was with you just now? Is that a sailor on the ship too?”
"You are wrong, I have been a..." Lawrence said subconsciously, but he realized it just halfway through his words, suddenly raised his head and stared at the first mate in front of him, "What did you say? The person who was with me just now ?!”
"Yes, I looked like a lady standing next to you just now - but I didn't see it clearly," the first mate said with a slight confusion, "Did I see it wrong?"
Lawrence's eyes widened, and his wide-open eyes even frightened the first officer. After a few seconds, he suddenly said: "Can you see her?!"
The first mate swallowed subconsciously. He didn't know why his captain had such a reaction: "...I did see it."
As soon as he finished speaking, the experienced seaman seemed to have thought of something, and his face became nervous: "Wait, was that just an illusion? Was I affected?"
"That is indeed an illusion... but theoretically it should be an illusion that only I can see." Lawrence's face became extremely ugly. He waved his hand to indicate that the other party should not be too frightened, but his mind was in a mess, "It shouldn't be. It shouldn’t be…”
The old captain raised his head and looked around in a daze, as if he still wanted to find Martha.
And in his mind, everything seemed to be mixed together - reality, hallucinations, memories, delusions...
There seems to be no boundary between reality and illusion here. In theory, the phantom that only one can see also appears in the eyes of others. The false things are becoming real, but what about the real ones?
Is this sea area real? Is the White Oak real?
What the hell is this place?
Lawrence was confused, but suddenly, a sailor's shout came from somewhere on the deck, interrupting his random thoughts.
A sailor discovered something on the sea.
Lawrence and the first mate looked at each other, and the two quickly ran towards the side. Soon, they saw something that caused the sailor to exclaim -
An island appears in front of the White Oak. It has a winding coastline and towering stone cliffs. The island is shrouded in fog...
The island appeared again.
"...The island can move..." The first mate swallowed nervously, and his worst guess became reality before his eyes, "It's catching up..."
"It's also possible that we've been spinning around in circles, and this sea area is filled with 'curtains' that can temporarily obscure our vision." Lawrence's voice was low, his eyes fixed on the island, "It's even possible, 'Frost' 'Beside us now..."
The first mate glanced at the captain in shock. He didn't know why the old captain suddenly mentioned the word "frost", but he soon calmed down and asked: "Captain, what should we do this time? Continue. Get around it?”
Lawrence fell silent and thought quickly for a moment.
The words Martha whispered in his ear still lingered in his mind -
"Go to the frost."
Of course, that island is not the Frost City State, but it appears near the White Oak again and again, and it may have been some kind of "guidance."
Not long ago, he led the White Oak to "escape" in a hurry from the Frost City State, which revealed a strange atmosphere, but was subsequently trapped in this unfamiliar sea. But now, "Martha" is guiding him, Let him "de-frost".
A strange island with an even weirder atmosphere appeared in front of him - it suddenly appeared next to the White Oak twice in a row.
What is the right choice?
"...We are close to the island."
(End of chapter)
