Deep Sea Embers

Chapter 62 “Overlap”

The shocking revelation that the Vanished had been navigating through subspace the entire time sent Duncan’s mood into a peculiar low.

He had always known that the Vanished was very strange and dangerous, but he had never imagined that the ship would be so abnormal. For example, his knowledge was most likely inferior to Nina’s history teach on this subject, but he knew enough that subspace was the most dangerous thing in this world. It’s enough to make those saints unable to sleep at night, make gods wary and afraid, and cause sailors to never dare shout the word “subspace” during their voyage.

If everything is true, that dimly lit dilapidated cabin opposite of the door may be a seal set in place by the real Captain Duncan. Perhaps that area had already been eroded by subspace and cannot be restored?

Duncan subconsciously looked down like he’s able to see through the deck and onto that shattered cabin room. Right now, he no longer felt safe to be here, more like someone stepping on a powder keg that would explode at any moment. That little gap was the fuse, and once opened completely, that’s when the bomb would blow.

But after a brief moment of wild nervous tension, Duncan relaxed after recalling another piece of information the goat head revealed.

According to the panicked look the wooded figurine showed after hearing Alice’s story, Captain Duncan was supposed to behave weird and off like something terrible had happened. But nothing has happened so far, right? He’s perfectly fine even after stabbing the sword through that slit in the door.

Okay, maybe saying he’s perfectly fine was a bit too positive. When he saw the illusion, Duncan did panic a little and thought about opening the door, but that’s only a simple psychological change and not the influence of supernatural power affecting his mind.

Duncan lowered his head and fixed his sight on his own hands, confirming again and again that nothing was wrong.

Here, I am Duncan, captain of the Vanished.

In another space-time, my name is Zhou Ming, an ordinary middle school teacher that’s trapped in a single apartment room shrouded in the fog.

Maybe… it’s the goat head overreacting? It was only a crack in the door, not an entire open passage to the subspace.

No longer swaying in his belief, Duncan raised his head and looked forward at the swaying masts and creaking ship that was battering against the waves. Right now, the controller had failed in its duty to steer the Vanished on the right course.

“First Mate, take charge of the rudder and control the sails properly!” He snaps, ordering the goat head through his mental connection.

“Ca… Captain?” The voice of the goat head immediately rang out with a little panic, “Ah, yes! Yes Captain!”

Duncan did not say another word for he knew there’s going to be more from the goat head: “Captain, I just heard Miss Alice say… the door at the bottom of the bilge opened a slit…”

“Yes,” replied Duncan softly, “I checked.”

“You did check, and Miss Alice said you confirmed the situation across the door…” The goat head seemed to be weighing the pros and cons of asking, “Right now, do you feel… I mean, a little bit hazy? Across that door is…”

“Subspace, I know,” Duncan interrupted without waiting for the goat head to finish, “do you see me as if I’m mentally unwell? Quit beating around the bush.”

“Of course, you don’t look anything out of the ordinary!” The goat head immediately said, “Maybe I was too nervous, after all, this kind of thing has never happened before. Since you drove the ship back, the barrier between the Vanished and the subspace has been very stable. I… I didn’t expect the situation to change, and this is by no means of me doubting you.”

Drive the ship back? From where?

Duncan keenly caught the detail revealed by the goat head and quickly guessed a bit of the truth. Acting casually like he didn’t care: “As far as I can see, the crack in the door is still very stable, but I do not rule out the possibility of further expansion. I want to hear your opinion.”

“…… It’s already good news to know it’s stable, Captain,” said the goat head with a rather worried face. “As for my suggestion… to tell you the truth, I don’t know what to do. You left the door and you’re the one who closed it with your own hands. You never told me what plans you had in mind, nor did you mention any changes. The bilge had always been handled by you personally…”

“…… I see,” Duncan said at once, “you don’t have any suggestions in this regard then.”

From the looks of it, the goat head doesn’t know everything about the door down at the bilge either. He only knows it leads to the subspace, that it’s dangerous once opened, and that the real Captain Duncan had left it behind. But where am I supposed to find a “real Captain Duncan” at this timing?

“Captain…” the voice of the goat head sounded in his head again, “what is your next arrangement?”

Arrangement? What arrangement? Am I supposed to head for land now? That will not happen with a reputation as bad as Captain Duncan’s. The entire naval fleet will likely attack me when I show up on the coastal waters.

Duncan rolled his eyes and looked helplessly up at the sky. Meanwhile, the dove had flown down from the mast and landed on his shoulders. Making a cheery chirp, “This is a trap! Abandon the ship and escape!”

“Escape? Run to where…” Duncan said subconsciously but then quickly realized something, “Wait, can you hear me talking to the goat head?”

He had been talking to the goat head through the spiritual connection of the ship, so how did this bird follow up with such appropriate words?

The dove flapped her wings and looked down at its toes: “Quit bitching bastard, I have my own understanding!”

At this moment, Duncan suddenly wanted to know what a dove soup would taste like.

But he hadn’t forgotten the goat head was still on the other line. Fixing his attention back on the subject, he promptly replied, “You do your own thing and leave the door to me. Nothing has changed.”

“Aye, Captain!” The shaky attitude of the Vanished gradually stabilized, and the sails were re-angled properly to continue the voyage.

After coming up to the edge of the deck once he had ended the conversation, Duncan watched as the battering waves hit the ship’s hull while they sailed. During this period, he reflected on the list of things he needed to do.

Naturally, observing the bilge had just been added to the list, but just watching wouldn’t change the situation. He needs more knowledge, more power, and perhaps… some help from the outside… Maybe the city-state of Pland?

Nina will return from school tomorrow, and her “Uncle Duncan” will also need to be at the store when the time comes. Before that takes place, I must hurry and learn to fully control both bodies, otherwise I will end up having to switch back and forth with my main consciousness. Then there’s the arrangement of transporting supplies over to the Vanished from Pland. That must also be tested further through Ai’s ability.

Then his eyes caught a glimpse of the “World Creation” reflecting on the waters.

The World Creation?!

Duncan was stunned for a second because a vague sense of familiarity just hit him.

Raising his head upwards, he started to wonder. It’s the same pale glowing wound as he observed the first time, but unlike in the past, he now got a new perspective. Those pale glows are not just a fog of light, but a myriad of overlapping and entangled streams of light, just like…. what he observed down at the shattered cabin of the Vanished.