Captain – Chapter 589 – Abandon Ship

“Ship, ship!”

The sudden arrival of thick fog, the abrupt stopping of the ship, and the Mermaid’s eerie, inexplicable forward movement all caused worry, so before long, the group had come to the bow.

Just as Roy was leaning against the ship’s railing, dealing with them, the raven on her shoulder suddenly cried out, sharply repeating that word, drawing everyone’s gaze toward the sea surface.

The girl was no exception.

In fact, since entering the thick fog, her perception had been suppressed to the immediate vicinity around her, unable to extend further, so she didn’t know the true scenery beyond the fog either.

In the past, she hadn’t known how the thick fog that always accompanied ghost ships in pirate legends was produced, or how it could isolate everything.

Even devil’s eyes couldn’t see through it.

Only now, having learned many deeply hidden secrets and experienced that shocking suppression, did she know that they had never belonged to this world.

They were loopholes in the rules, errors that shouldn’t exist, buried…

Graveyards of the “forgotten ones.”

Buried within were those who had been forgotten or exiled and banished, outcasts that even the river of time couldn’t tolerate, like the eternal Victoria, like the Drowned Captain that all living beings resisted, or…

That devil. The eerie fog shrouding the Cursed Sea was the best proof.

With perception blocked, she could only look, look at what this fog wanted her to see.

So following the raven’s indication, Roy turned to look, then saw those ships, wooden boats drifting out from the fog one by one, burning with holy candles.

As if someone had already anticipated their arrival and made preparations in advance.

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“Don’t you think those really look like… floating sea burial coffins?”

Hearing the ship’s doctor’s unconscious muttering beside her, the girl couldn’t help but glare at him, lightly scolding “stop being such a jinx,” then turned sideways and commanded with driving power.

“Everyone assemble on deck!”

The clear command rang out. Although the process of penetrating the fog was quite difficult, weakening considerably with every inch it traveled, fortunately the distance needed wasn’t far, and it ultimately reached every pirate’s ears.

Soon, several hundred pirates all stood on the deck.

Perhaps because there were too many people, making even this fog symbolizing “oblivion” unwilling to approach, the Mermaid’s deck and even the surrounding fog currents had thinned considerably.

Thus people could see the girl at the bow clearly, the crew members standing by the railing, and when glancing sideways with their peripheral vision, they couldn’t help but cover their mouths and let out suppressed gasps of surprise.

Before long, everyone had discovered the anomaly.

They were surrounded.

Surrounded by countless wooden boats made of pure white timber, completely encircled in the center. At the bow of each wooden boat was embedded a candle, spreading pale red warm light.

When those eerie white fogs encountered the candlelight, they melted like ice meeting warm sun.

This was the true reason for their retreat.

“You’ve all seen it, so everyone listen up—abandon ship and board those wooden boats.”

Hearing this command, everyone obviously hadn’t reacted, looking at each other with bewilderment before turning to the captain with hesitation and worry, appearing as if they wanted to speak but hesitated.

Finally, it was Wyatt, the acting first mate, who spoke up.

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“Captain Roy, you’re saying… abandon ship?”

Hearing the other’s heavy tone, which even seemed to worry about her mental state, the girl couldn’t help but roll her eyes at him, replying irritably “what else?”

“But Captain, first we don’t have that many oars, and second those small boats…”

Ben, standing beside Wyatt, glanced toward the sea surface, equally worried: “They don’t look like they could transport heavy cargo. What about our food and water?”

As the girl’s confidant, the bosun understood her better, so his reaction was faster than the first mate’s. He immediately thought of their conversation from several days ago.

Remembered her somewhat absurd “ship-seeking” theory.

Now, with countless wooden boats suddenly appearing and Roy ordering them to abandon ship and transfer, no matter how you looked at it, that ship should already be not far away, perhaps even right ahead beyond the fog.

If… such a ship really existed.

Having reached this point, even with many concerns, Ben could only trust the captain’s judgment, but before executing the order, he still couldn’t help pointing out the problems.

Even if they dismantled the Mermaid, it would be impossible—there wasn’t time to make several hundred oars, so after boarding those small boats, would they have to rely on hand-paddling?

More critically, what about food and fresh water?

The Mermaid still had nearly five days’ worth of rations, but those small boats, which by visual estimate could seat at most three people, couldn’t possibly transport them.

Without food and water, even if they could escape the evil spirit’s pursuit, they wouldn’t survive.

“If I haven’t misjudged, oars won’t be a problem—you’ll understand once you get on. As for food and water, leave them all behind. We can only take things one step at a time.”

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“And pray that the goddess of fortune stands on our side.”

Roy’s conversation with Wyatt and Ben wasn’t deliberately hidden from the crew.

But despite knowing these things, facing an uncertain future filled with fog, not a single person raised objections. Everyone waited silently and patiently.

As if at some point, the girl had become a true faith.

Perhaps because she was the only light in this dark and long nightmare.

Although the girl hadn’t provided solutions and seemed to place hope only on ethereal fate, after brief consideration, Ben and the other still nodded.

Choosing to trust the captain they had followed for so long, or rather, the one chosen by that night curtain.

“Move, quickly!”

Accompanied by Roy’s actions and those of the authority figures, and urging sounds from all directions, the pirates flowed like a tide over the ship’s railing, climbing down along the hull.

And just as Roy had said, oars weren’t a problem.

When a small boat was filled with passengers, it would magically begin moving on its own, circumventing gaps left by its “companions” and slowly sailing into the depths of the fog.

Afterward, boats from the outer perimeter would come closer to continue receiving the next batch of people.

The entire process was like a sacred rescue.

Only who knew who was driving it.

Standing at the bow of a wooden boat, Roy gazed silently ahead. Although she couldn’t see through the more distant fog currents, that connection linking her to that giant ship, growing ever stronger, told her constantly that it was close.

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Very close, right…

Before her eyes.

Without any reason, a warm light penetrated through the thick fog, spilling onto the sea surface, dispelling the eternally frozen darkness, shining on people who had endured countless hardships.

At that moment, the cold brought by violent rain and freezing wind seemed to be completely driven away, and people mysteriously shared a common understanding that what awaited them ahead…

Should be a sanctuary, a human sanctuary.

As if in resonance, all the candles at the front of the wooden boats began to flourish, their light merging together, forcing that blinding fog to retreat again and again.

Roy was surprised to discover that within this brightness, even she couldn’t help but relax, unable to summon any fighting spirit, because it was truly too warm and pure, not resembling devil’s methods but containing only selfless love.

So she reached forward, extending her hand toward the approaching warm light, and through her fingers, with her faintly brilliant devil’s eyes, vaguely saw a figure.

It was a beautiful woman, gentle beyond description.

She didn’t seem to exist in reality, having left this world many, many years ago, yet her appearance remained so clear and real, just like the portraits in holy books.

She lowered her head slightly in prayer, praying constantly, for these poor people who had come from afar seeking hope, and for all humanity in the world.

For the children she loved.

The scene in her eyes was fleeting. When the captain lowered her hand, she found the warm light before her suddenly intensifying, like the morning sun breaking through boundless darkness and fog.

In the light, a magnificent giant ship stood silently and solemnly.