Chapter 60

Chapter 60 “Opposite Side Of The Door”

Alice’s voice suddenly came from the side: “Uhhh? Captain, are we leaving? Doesn’t this door need to be checked? Even if you don’t open it...”

“There’s nothing to see anymore. It’s the end of the bilge.” Duncan said casually.

But just then, a slight tapping sound had caused him to stop.

Duncan shot his head to meet Alice’s, who had fallen over and frantically looking around for the source of that noise. Eventually, her frightened gaze locked onto the dark wooden door: “The sound seems to be coming from behind this door...”

Duncan froze on the spot, glaring fiercely at the door as well when the knocking came again. It sounded faint, but it was no illusion, that much was certain. Jerking backward to gain a little distance, he didn’t want to be a victim of whatever was behind that door either.

However, after a brief but fierce struggle inside, the ghost captain decides to return to the door after the noise died down.

Holding the ghost fire lantern up to his face, while also drawing his sword out, Duncan carefully examined for any clues as to the cause. Then that’s when he realized the door hadn’t been completely shut. On the right corner of his view, there’s about a centimeter of a crack that would allow him to peek through the opening.

From the way things look, it’s as if someone had hastily closed it behind themselves and not a deliberate act.

Knowing he wouldn’t be able to ignore this opportunity, Duncan leaned in and peered through the slit while making sure his blade was ready to stab at whatever that might snap at him.

However, what he saw was beyond anything he could’ve imagined.

It’s a small room, which looked as if it had been some years since someone renovated it based on the wrinkly wallpapers. The furnishings were also messy, and the single bed in the corner with the computer table were all too familiar....

But more importantly, there’s a certain tall, thin figure currently writing something at the desk. The man wore a white shirt with unkept hair, which showed how ragged the person had been due to the circumstances.

Duncan stared heavily at everything behind the door, the familiar bed, the familiar desk, and the familiar books, and most importantly, the familiar “him” who was scribbling something onto the old diary he usually kept in the drawers. But then, as if sensing his own presence, the other him known as Zhou Ming jerked up and ran over to the door to stare right back at Duncan.

This freaky and silent staring contest continued like this for several seconds until the other him began shoving hard at the door. The way he behaved was of someone trying to come out, yet the door was remained unfazed like a brick wall. So, the other him began to break the lock with a tool, trying hard to pry the slit further apart to no avail.

Eventually, the man inside the door finally gave up and slumped down like a deflated balloon. Duncan couldn’t hear what the other “him” was saying at that moment, only vague garbled noises. Nevertheless, he knew all too well what the other man was trying to do because he had experienced everything firsthand.

Gradually, Duncan’s gaze slowly fell upon the doorknob over on this side of the Vanished. All he had to do was twist and push, and surely, perhaps, it would open....

Forcing his anxiety to calm down through a long series of breathing.

The caution I chose to take is correct. In any case, I mustn’t open this door.

“Captain...” Alice’s voice suddenly came and woke Duncan from his contemplation. As the man looked up at the doll, the man quickly noticed the doll’s concerned and frightened expression, “Captain, are you all right? What’s behind that door? Why is your expression so serious...”

Duncan shook his head, “Nothing, behind this door is not where you should look. We’ve reached the bottom of the bilge and can go back now.”

As he spoke, the man made sure to try to tug at the door to see him he could close it for good. Yet, he couldn’t the wooden construct didn’t budge at all like some unsettling slumbering beast.

“Huh? Ah...... Okay!” Alice did not care about the captain’s attempt to close the door. She was too stunned at first but quickly changed her mood with a happy expression, “Then let’s hurry back. This place is still quite weird to be honest. It’s giving me the creeps...”

Duncan snorted nonchalantly and led Alice towards the “last door” connecting to the stairs.

In reality, this place was so spooky that even he didn’t want to stay long.

Afterward, nothing unusual happened: they made it through the crumbling bilge, through the lighted cargo compartment, through the dark staircase and corridors to the cabin above the waterline.

Duncan didn’t think much of their trip back up, but Alice on the other hand found her whole body relaxing the second she came above deck. It’s as if an imperceptible shadow had been dispelled from over her shoulders.

“Captain, are you tired?” Alice asked cautiously after noticing the concern in the man’s eye, “Do you want me to make you something to eat? You didn’t have a good dinner...”

Duncan stopped his thoughts and turned to face the concerned-looking doll – just like Nina’s face when she’s worried.

Knowing he’s making the atmosphere bad, the man quickly relaxed his face and forced the haze that was shrouding over his heart to recede.

“Don’t drop something weird into the pot this time.”

“My head is not a strange thing!”

“Especially your head.”

“...... Woohoo.”