For a long time, Lawrence seemed to be trapped in a "lucid dream" - he knew what happened to him and his mental illness better than anyone else.
He knew that Martha was no longer there, and that the figure who had been with him day and night was actually just an illusion. He knew all of this - whether it was at the subconscious level or the subjective level, he was very clear-headed.
But compared with other captains of similar age and similar experience, his mental state is actually considered good. On the vast sea, the most indispensable thing is captains with twisted spirits and damaged minds. As a ship chaplain, this profession that challenges the sea is destined to withstand far more mental pollution than ordinary crew members. Every captain completes ocean voyages again and again in a confrontation with his own deteriorating mental state, so that captains often Describe your career in one sentence.
"We are not sailing on the edge of an abyss; our lives are heading straight toward that abyss."
But it is precisely because of his years of mental distress that Lawrence has a particularly keen understanding of "Martha". At this moment, he has been keenly aware that the figure in front of him is definitely not the same as the illusion he has seen before. "thing".
He couldn't help but recall the "Martha" that had appeared on the white oak deck before. Gus, the first mate at the time, had seen that "Martha". When did the change in that "Martha" begin?
Has this finally passed a tipping point? The thing in your fantasy... finally came to reality? Or was some indescribable force reading his mind and creating this actual "individual" before his eyes? Is this a malicious gift? Or is it a sarcastic trap?
"Martha..." Lawrence finally opened his mouth. He felt that his throat was a little dry and his voice was hoarse. "Are you in front of me?"
"As you can see," the female adventurer laughed, "Want to touch me? I even have body temperature."
"...You are a real person," Lawrence breathed softly. He restrained his urge to take a step forward, "But...why is this? Is it an illusion in my mind?" Was it transformed into some kind of entity here? Is this... the power of this sea area?"
"At least part of it is right," Martha shook her head slightly. "It is indeed this sea that shaped me and the Black Oak, but I did not come from the illusion in your mind - I have been wandering here for many years. , Lawrence - where this ship and I have spent the past many years, wandering blindly as part of a vast number of 'fake'."
Lawrence was slightly startled: "Fake?"
"Fake goods - some kind of powerful force in the deep sea caused all this. I don't know what it is, but it has been here for many, many years and has produced countless fakes. I still remember that it was destroyed by you just now. That ship, the Petrel? And that Dagger Island..."
"They are all fakes,?!" Lawrence opened his eyes wide. He suddenly realized that the vortex he was trapped in seemed more weird and terrifying than he imagined. "Wait a minute, what about the Frost City-State we encountered before? ·····》
"It is the same, everything here is," Martha said calmly, "That power has already infiltrated the entire sea area, and everything that lingers in this sea area for a long time cannot escape its replication. , there are countless blind and empty replicas wandering in the deep sea - what you have encountered is only a small part of them."
Lawrence seemed to be in a sluggish state. After a long time, he suddenly woke up and looked at the "wife" in front of him in disbelief: "But... you look different, you can even Talk to me, this ship was fighting alongside the White Oak just now..."
Martha didn't speak, just looked at Lawrence quietly with a calm and meaningful smile.
The latter stopped speaking and gradually came to his senses. He lowered his head and looked at his body, which was still as illusory and transparent as a ghost, and the green flames burning quietly on his body.
The Black Oak appeared after the White Oak completed its "transformation" in the fire of the spiritual body.
"You realize
"Laurence," Martha said softly, "the only thing that can compete with great power is another more powerful power. Even this sea area cannot get its hands on the spoils of the lost fleet - you and I, both." , the spoils of war.”
Lawrence listened blankly, feeling a little dazed. Then, his face changed slightly, and he realized the inconsistency in the last few words the other party just said - they were not about saying goodbye to him decades ago. Things "Martha" should know!
Why did she know the Lost Home Number? Why do you know that the White Oak is Captain Duncan's "trophy"?
"You read my consciousness!" Lawrence's eyes widened suddenly, and his muscles subconsciously tensed, "You are not the real Martha!"
However, the figure standing not far away just smiled, as if he didn't care about Lawrence's reaction at all. His calmness was the same as it was decades ago: "If what you want is a 100% accurate and 'pure' Martha, I'm sorry, Lawrence, I'm not her - but she is a part of me. Martha's soul is in me, and the other part of me comes from your consciousness and memory... This sea is like a mirror, It is constantly reflecting everything that floats on its surface, including consciousness and memory.
"I didn't read your consciousness. Your consciousness naturally mapped into a part of mine. Can't you accept this?"
Lawrence opened his mouth. After his expression changed several times, he finally pulled the corners of his mouth bitterly and spread his hands: "I don't know, I have never even thought about how to deal with you when I really face you. I... …I don’t know how I should accept this…’form, you, I still haven’t even figured out what kind of existence you are.”
He raised his head, and the old captain, who had faced countless strange and terrifying things on the boundless sea without wavering, actually seemed a little at a loss at this moment.
He never showed weakness to anyone except his wife.
Martha quietly looked at Lawrence, who was no longer young. For a long time, she smiled helplessly: "You are still the same as before. You always need my help at critical moments."
She came over, raised her hands, and put her hands with human warmth on Lawrence's shoulders.
"You need to strengthen yourself and make clear judgment..."
Lawrence frowned slightly, a little confused.
"Mr. Sailor, can you please leave for a moment?" Martha turned her head again and looked at Anomaly 077, who had been quite honest from the beginning. "The owner of the Lost Home Fleet will be satisfied with your cooperation."
The mummy wearing a sailor's blouse suddenly became excited and turned around and left the bridge without saying a word.
Lawrence seemed to suddenly realize something and said hastily: "Wait..."
But the bridge door was closed.
Anomaly 077 quickly ran to the corridor outside the door. He could only faintly hear Captain Lawrence's last shout from inside: "Martha - I am already over sixty this year!"
He couldn't bear to hear what was going on behind him.
A moment later, there was a creaking sound of the door shaft turning. Anomaly 077 shrank her neck, turned her head cautiously, and saw the female adventurer standing in front of the door, with a relaxed and happy smile on her face.
Immediately afterwards, Lawrence also walked out with a grin on his face. After seeing Abnormal 077 at the door, he immediately cast a warning gaze - and then hurriedly covered his head and grinned even more.
Anomaly 077 immediately withdrew his gaze, trying to reduce his presence like a real corpse.
Obviously, a good beating.
"Can you accept it now?" Martha turned her head and said to Lawrence with a smile.
Lawrence covered the swollen place on his head. He didn't know why he could still be beaten so severely by Martha despite his current almost spiritual form. He only knew that such details were no longer important: "I can accept it. I can accept it..."
Wandering in the boundless sea, you still need to think about everything with an open mind.
After all, it seems now that if he can't think about it, Martha will help him
"Open"——The female adventurer's bold temperament is still the same as many years ago, but she is already an old man over fifty years old...
"Then let's get down to business," Martha said with a smile on her face, leaning against the door with her arms folded, "It's not an option to be stuck here all the time."
Hearing this, Lawrence immediately stopped the complicated thoughts in his heart, and his face became serious: "Martha, I just wanted to ask you, what is the state of this sea area? Do you know how to leave here? method?"
"...I really want to answer you, but I'm sorry," Martha was silent for two seconds and said apologetically, "Although I have been wandering here for many years, in the end, I and this ship It's just one of the many fakes trapped here, but one thing is certain...this entire sea area is centered on the 'frost city-state'. If there really is a reality here The rift between worlds must be in the frost."
