In the captain's cabin of the Narwhal, Charles was intently studying the nautical charts spread out before him. He had marked the Project Experiment Interactive Island and the Third Laboratory, noting the anomalies associated with both locations, trying to discern a connection between them.

  "Do you think the people from the Sea of Earth brought them down in the first place?" one of his crew members suggested.

  Charles shook his head. "Then why is there no trace of them in the Sea of Earth? Historical records, myths— even the Sun God Cult's revelations only mention the exalted Sun God, not even a messenger."

  "Who knows? If it were me, I’d say just forget about them. Let them do what they want; they’re all dead now anyway."

  "That doesn’t make sense. The Foundation not only possesses advanced technology but also has a vast collection of relics. Their existence can't be so quiet. I feel like our search for the surface entrance is somehow tied to them."

  "If you really want to think that way, why not think bigger? What if there was a cataclysm on the surface, and they brought the remaining humans underground to survive? I feel like I’ve read something like that in the Bible—Noah's Ark!"

  Charles felt a surge of irritation as the long-forgotten whispers in his ears grew louder.

  "Creek~" The door opened, and Deep cautiously poked his head in, holding a plate.

  "Captain, the sailors and I caught a glowing giant crab, and I brought you the best meat from its claws."

  On the plate were long strips of white meat that looked incredibly tender.

  "Put it on the table; next time, knock before coming in," Charles replied, his eyes never leaving the charts.

  Deep quietly set the plate down, preparing to leave, but Charles called him back. When Deep saw Charles holding a mask out to him, his breath quickened.

  "You wanted a relic, right? Here," Charles said, handing over the unmoving clown mask.

  Deep's face lit up with joy; he had seen the power of this item before and couldn't believe the captain was giving it to him.

  Just as the excited Deep reached out to take it, Charles pulled it back. He looked seriously at his first mate, explaining the rules of using the item. He wanted a capable assistant, not someone whose mind was filled with various personalities.

  Hesitating at Charles's words, Deep ultimately reached out to accept it. Holding the mask, he said, "Captain, I’ll be careful."

  "Now go. Oh, and bring the doctor over," Charles said, rubbing his forehead.

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  "Hey, just like that, you gave it to that kid?" Richard's voice chimed in, and he grabbed a piece of crab meat, shoving it into his mouth.

  "We won't be using that thing anyway; giving it to him can enhance our overall strength," Charles replied, swallowing the crab meat and returning to the charts.

  Before long, the doctor hobbled in on his iron leg. "You called for me?"

  "I need more medicine; the auditory hallucinations are getting worse," Charles looked up at him.

  "Worse again?" The doctor examined Charles with a puzzled expression.

  After a while, he placed his iron hand on the table and said, "You know I can only suppress the curse of the gods, right?"

  "Of course, you mentioned that before."

  The doctor continued, "I do have another medication that can eliminate your hallucinations, but if you use that, your life won't last long."

  "Is there no other way?"

  "You either return to the island to rest for a few months while I help you adjust with other medications, or you find someone else to remove the curse of the gods."

  Before Charles could respond, the doctor added, "I suggest you choose the former. In all my years at sea, I’ve never seen anyone treat a divine curse, and your current condition is a combination of the curse and the mental pollution from the sea. The simplest way to alleviate it is to rest on the island."

  Looking at the islands on the chart, a hint of hesitation crossed Charles's face. The entrance to the surface was among those islands, and stopping now felt worse than death.

  The doctor seemed to understand Charles's thoughts, leaning in closer with a terrifying expression. "I know you’re not afraid of death; you’d sacrifice your life for your goals. But can’t you think about your crew? The chief engineer came to me for help the other day; his hallucinations are severe. He’s been afraid to tell you, worried it would delay your plans."

  Charles's heart sank. "Besides James, who else has hallucinations?"

  "Aside from a few newcomers, most of the others have some degree of it. I can treat their hallucinations, but I can’t help with their mental strain. Don’t you think you’ve been pushing too hard lately? I’ve never seen a captain so diligent in exploration."

  Charles's fingers rhythmically tapped the table as he fell silent.

  After a few seconds, he lifted his head. "Got it. After this trip back, I’ll take some time off."

  The doctor forced a grim smile, patting Charles on the shoulder. "Remember, I mean a thorough rest. You’re still young; don’t overexert yourself."

  With that, he lifted his iron leg and limped out.

  The journey back to the island was uneventful. Days later, the light from the Coral Island lighthouse swept over the Narwhal as they returned home.

  As they approached the brightly lit port, every crew member's face beamed with excitement—everyone except Charles.

  Once at the dock, Charles gathered everyone on deck to announce the temporary halt of operations.

  "Everyone, take this time to rest well. I’ll have Lily’s mouse notify you when we’re resuming. You’re dismissed."

  At this news, the crew members wore happy expressions. Though they’d earned plenty of money on the ship, their time on land had been far too short. Now they could finally take a proper break.

  Once the crew dispersed, Charles took the Narwhal into the shipyard for maintenance. Just as people need rest, so did the ship.

  Watching the layers of barnacles being scraped off the hull, Charles waved goodbye to the suspended Narwhal and turned to leave.

  Exiting the shipyard, he headed straight to the Explorer's Association; he still had one more task to complete.

  Upon entering the bustling hall of the Explorer's Association, Charles found it lively, with various captains chatting in groups, exchanging relics and information.

  Life at sea had blurred the dates for him, and he realized today was Saturday.

  Navigating through the crowd, his eyes quickly scanned for familiar faces, and he soon spotted Elizabeth, who was chatting happily with a few well-known captains while embracing a young lady.