Shrouded Seascape

Chapter 824: Preparations

"And why are you always opposing me? Are you really on my side? I also told you that I'm just going to take a look. And what if 004 doesn't like to eat dead gods?" Anna grumbled.

Charles looked at his wife and sighed softly, "If that corpse is still there, what are you going to do about it? Are you going to devour It yourself?"

"Of course, It can't be devoured directly. That's a Divinity's Corpse we're talking about here!

"Since the Foundation managed to make use of It in more ways than one, then we should be able to find techniques on how to do the same in their ruins. We can just follow in their footsteps. We can use It the same way they were using it.

"Don't worry, I'm more thorough than you when it comes to safety. Nothing will go wrong. I don't want to die, either." Anna wrapped her arms around Charles' neck and stared at him with a smile.

"Take it slow. If I managed to absorb Pede's corpse and become a god myself, then you'll be able to save one of your three wishes."

Charles put his hands on Anna's shoulders and looked closely into her eyes. "Anna, trust me. What you're about to do is really dangerous. Becoming a god may not necessarily be a good thing.

"It's highly likely to be an eternal curse. Can you wait? Wait until I've figured out what exactly gods are before making a choice."

A hint of disdain appeared on Anna's face as she replied, "Alright, alright, let's just talk about it when we get there. I don't want to argue with you over something that hasn't even happened yet. Let's go and see if that thing is still there."

Anna took out a spider eye and said, "Here, why haven't you put one on yet? Are you waiting for me to urge you to wear one? Is it fun to see only in one eye?"

Charles sighed helplessly. Anna was changing the subject. She didn't want him to warn her about anything.

"I probably might not need it anymore, so I have no plans of putting that on. It's also troublesome to feed the spider every few days, and I can see fine with just one eye."

"What about your looks? Have you never considered that at all? You look terrible with just one eye," Anna said. She stretched two fingers into Charles' sunken eye socket and pulled it gently before stuffing the spider eye into it. "See? You already look much better. Anyway, I'm leaving. Inform me once you find Pede's corpse."

Anna snapped her fingers, and her gorgeous figure disappeared with a flash of white light.

As Anna's fragrance dissipated slowly from the room, Charles fell into deep contemplation. After a while, he took out the pen tucked in his chest pocket and opened his diary, writing a line on the wish list.

A dull thud echoed as Charles closed the diary. He then picked up the nautical chart on the table and started walking toward the door.

The news of the governor setting sail again spread throughout Hope Island. The islanders speculated if the ongoing battle in the Eastern Seas was a bit more difficult than the governor had expected or if there were other crises to handle.

Charles couldn't care less about the islanders' opinions. His authoritarian rule meant that he could issue orders whenever he wanted, and he did not need to explain his orders to anyone.

Fortunately, Hope Island's public offices and ministries had long gotten used to Charles' antics, and they moved quickly, resolving the logistical issues that would hamper Charles' expedition.

Meanwhile, the crew members of the Narwhale were getting a bit restless; they were looking forward to joining Charles' upcoming expedition, as they weren't allowed to join the previous one.

Soon, envelopes with the seal of the Governor's Mansion were delivered to their mailboxes, but the news contained within the letter erased any thoughts of joining the expedition.

The letter only had one sentence that said, "Stay put."

A listless Dipp was sitting on a leather sofa inside a lavishly decorated hall. There was an envelope in his hand, and the letter contained more words than everyone else had received.

Kid, you better not sneak onto the ship. Otherwise, you better not blame me for erasing you from the family tree.

Dipp revealed a helpless look as he cast his gaze at his wife, who was cleaning the barrel of a gun. "This is unfair. If they really want to use people from District 3, I should be one of those people. Why are you going there in my stead?"

Aliya flipped her hair with a quick jerk of her head, and her wine-red hair draped on her back, revealing the scorpion tattoo on her fair neck. "You haven't figured it out yet? The Governor doesn't want you to go out at sea anymore. In other words, you can just retire and live peacefully on the island."

"Haaa… I've gotten so used to sailing that I feel so uncomfortable not doing anything at all," Dipp remarked, scratching the gills on his neck.

Once her weapon was clean, Aliya holstered it gently into her thigh holster and walked up to Dipp. "It's going to be the same even if I go there in your stead. It's actually much better because I can take advantage of this opportunity to make preparations for the future."

"What future?" Dipp asked, staring at his wife with a puzzled expression.

"Of course, I'm talking about the Governor's successor. Think about it, you're the only male heir of the Reed family. If the Governor somehow dies or gets involved in a serious accident, then you'll become the next governor of Hope Island.

"The entire Northern Sea will be ours by then.

"I used to think that you were just a reckless, immature boy. I didn't expect you to make that kind of move. You really surprised me. It seems that the Governor's weakness is still his family."

"What are you talking about?!" Dipp was furious. "You better not say such things again, or I'm really going to get mad. The captain can't die, and he can't get involved in a serious accident, either!"

Aliya revealed a smug look and replied, "Who can say that for sure? I remember you told me that the late ship doctor of your ship had to use some potent medicine to save the Governor's life.

"Due to their side effects, he can only live up to the age of forty at most. You've been by his side for the longest time among the crew, so tell me—how old is he now?"

Dipp froze, feeling like he was suddenly standing inside an icy cavern. The next moment, his figure dispersed into a blue mist that rushed outside, making a beeline for the harbor district.

Aliya picked up the bag containing her relics and walked outside. When she arrived at the docks, she saw her husband talking to the Governor of Hope Island with an anxious face.

In stark contrast, the Governor remained calm. The sight of that allowed Aliya to reach two conclusions—the Governor had already found a solution to that issue, and the other was that he had already come to terms with it.

"Enough, say no more. Your task is to go back home and do your job," Charles said, staring at his boatswain with furrowed brows.

"Nothing is more important than life, Captain! Quick! Tell everyone to come here, so we can brainstorm a solution to this problem! You must not die, Captain!"

Charles didn't bother to argue with Dipp. He waved his hand, and eight invisible tentacles sprang up from the ground. They wrapped around Dipp before throwing him toward a distant roof.

"That kid is getting worried for nothing. If I really had to wait for his reminder, I'm afraid I wouldn't even have enough time to prepare a coffin for myself," Charles joked, turning to Bandages next to him.

"The issue… with your body... has been... resolved?" Bandages asked, sounding surprised. The truth was that he had actually never seen Charles handle that issue at all.