Chapter 660: Capture and Aftermath

Chapter 660: Capture and Aftermath

This novel is translated and hosted on bcatranslation

In the midst of chaos, a monstrous skeleton spider produced a series of loud, discordant sounds, almost as if it were playing a jarring symphony filled with powerful mental disturbance. It roared as if on the brink of madness, its fury almost tangible. Yet, this intense anger had no effect on the resurrected ship, which steadily continued its journey home.

Despite substantial damage and disorientation, the ship was gaining speed and heading towards a specific destination. The “Saint” on board could feel unusual vibrations throughout its structure. He was certain he had destroyed the steam core, yet miraculously, the propellers were accelerating. Even with its navigation and linking devices out of action, the ship seemed to instinctively find its way back home.

Behind the skeleton spider, a strange thumping sound emanated from its grotesquely enlarged brain. Its blood vessels pulsed rapidly, and something bright seemed to be forming inside, signaling a buildup of a potent and destructive aura of madness.

As the Annihilation Priest, the “Saint,” was about to use himself as a catalyst for a catastrophic self-destruction, he suddenly lost control over his body. A peculiar stiffness overtook him, making his limbs and eyestalks feel as if they had turned into stone or ceramic. Then, as if compelled by an overwhelming force, these rigid limbs were held firmly in place.

Fear crept into the depths of his mind. Struggling, the “Saint” managed to move one of his functioning eyestalks to look elsewhere.

There, amidst the flames, stood a striking doll-like figure with silver hair, dressed in an elegant deep purple court gown. She stood silently, her hand raised as if manipulating unseen strings. In that fateful moment, the “Saint” noticed nearly invisible, transparent threads wrapped around her fingers.

“Anomaly...099...” he said, his voice a mix of anger and fear.

“You need to calm down,” said Alice, the girl with the silver hair. She tilted her head slightly, observing the grotesque skeleton spider. “Your threads are all tangled. Let me straighten them out for you.”

At her command, the skeleton spider’s body shuddered and then became unconscious. Just before it completely transformed into a ‘doll’, Alice released the invisible threads from her hands, remembering the captain’s orders to capture this creature alive.

Observing the scene, Duncan looked at Alice with a mix of surprise and curiosity. He then glanced at the now unconscious skeleton spider and asked, “It had threads too?”

“Yes,” Alice confirmed with a nod. “This one’s threads are more tangled than usual, but they can still be straightened out...”

Duncan frowned slightly, his face thoughtful.

Just then, a gust of wind swept through the engine room, carrying colorful paper scraps that swirled about ten meters from Duncan, forming the figure of Lucretia.

Lucretia’s gaze first landed on the motionless skeleton spider, then shifted to the surrounding wreckage – the obliterated steam core, the remains of the differential machine supports, and the myriad flames and debris frozen in time.

Upon her arrival, Duncan nodded, “Everything here has been dealt with.”

Lucretia seemed slightly bewildered as she took in the devastation. “I heard a massive explosion from below, saw huge flames and metal fragments shooting from the stern...” She paused, trying to reconcile the scene before her with her expectations. “Did you manage to restore its power?”

Lucretia, momentarily caught off guard by his suggestion, eventually smiled gently. “Then I’ll send one to Big Brother later...”

“I already have an avatar with Frost,” Duncan interjected, watching her reaction. “He even visited me in the graveyard this morning. He doesn’t need your ‘artificial beacon’.”

Lucretia’s expression faltered slightly at the mention, “Oh...”

“Don’t always think about teasing your brother,” Duncan gently chided her.

“Okay~”

Duncan shook his head with a sense of resignation, changing the subject. “How are the ‘sacrifices’ on the ship?”

Lucretia swiftly shifted her demeanor as the conversation turned serious. “I’ve located them with Rabbi’s help. The good news is that the area where they were held, in the lower front part of the ship, wasn’t affected by the engine room explosion. Thanks to your intervention, none of them died from the explosion or the fire. The bad news, however, is their condition is extremely dire. Some were already dead in their cells when we arrived. The cultists, growing bored during the sea voyage, resorted to torturing them for entertainment, even killing those who no longer held any ‘blood’ value just for fun...”

Lucretia paused for a moment, her eyes carefully studying Duncan’s visibly distressed expression.

“But rest assured, I’ll do everything within my abilities to heal the survivors, even those who are barely clinging to life. As for their mental state, that’s a different challenge altogether. They’ll need extensive professional mental health care.”

“Mmm,” Duncan gave a slight nod, his troubled look easing slightly with her assurance. After a brief moment of contemplation, he shifted the topic. “Have you managed to locate the ‘Dream Skull’?”

“We’re still on the hunt,” Lucretia replied. “It’s a prized yet hazardous ‘sealed object’, likely hidden in the most fortified and secretive section of the ship. I’ve dispatched my toy soldiers and shadow servants to scour every nook and cranny from top to bottom. We should have it located shortly.”

Alice, who had been quietly observing the conversation, voiced her concern, “Is there a chance it was destroyed in the explosion?”

Lucretia shook her head confidently. “That seems unlikely. The Dream Skull is an item known for its activation and corruption properties. It would be too risky to store it near the steam core as it could potentially compromise the machinery. Even those cultists would be aware of such a hazard.”

“Hmm...” Duncan pondered Lucretia’s explanation, his tone shifting to a more thoughtful one. “But what really perplexes me is what we should do with it once we find it. I’m not certain how well it will coexist alongside the goat head.”

After considering for a brief moment, Lucretia replied, “First Mate Goathead is quite adaptable; I think they’ll manage fine.”

“Let’s deal with that when the time comes,” Duncan said, somewhat dismissively, waving his hand. “First, I want to see the condition of these ‘sacrifices’.”