Captain – Chapter 668 – Your Highness

Without any surprise, or perhaps, completely contrary to the expectations of all those who set and entered the trap, this hunt ended far too quickly—nearly ten times faster than the last time.

Only the outcome had changed from the strange ship being forced to retreat to the destruction of a main battleship.

When the eight warships of varying sizes but similar design to that large ship, which had been hidden in the surrounding area, converged, the battle had already long since ended.

That magnificent main battleship, grand as a palace hall, was left with only broken walls and ruins, debris scattered “everywhere.” But what chilled the newcomers was that not a single corpse could be seen.

The nearly two thousand people on the destroyed ship, both body and soul, had naturally been completely devoured.

Transformed into a wisp of decay within that chaos.

Looking at that tragic scene, the officer responsible for commanding and coordinating the only remaining main battleship among the eight warships gripped the railing before him tightly.

His face was pale as snow, his lips trembling rapidly, unable to utter a single word.

Because this failure was far beyond what he could bear responsibility for.

Not because of losing a main battleship or sacrificing over a thousand soldiers, but because the commander who perished aboard was that Prince’s own brother.

If not for his insane proposal, if not for dispersing the fleet too widely…

Perhaps none of this would have happened.

Most importantly, he and that commander—or rather, everyone here—had severely underestimated the destructive power possessed by that strange giant ship.

But the problem was, with that person dead, he was now the highest-ranking decision-maker present.

He could only take responsibility.

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So at this moment, with everyone behind him in panic-induced deadly silence, the officer standing at the forefront truly wanted to draw his sidearm and end himself.

“Sir…”

But hearing the trembling voice of his subordinate behind him, thinking of the unregreeted decade of service following that Prince to this point, his hand finally moved away from the gun handle.

Then forcing himself to calm down, he gave orders in that strangely accented language with a trembling voice.

“Retreat, withdraw immediately from this cursed place, then… return to report.”

Hearing the officer’s voice that seemed to have lost all strength and sharpness, his trusted subordinates behind him were filled with worry, but still said nothing.

They simply acknowledged and passed down the orders.

So this modest-sized fleet, led by the foremost large ship, changed course toward the southwest, no longer having any heart to wander in this hell.

The further they traveled in that direction, the fainter the mist around them became, like static paintings, and the brighter the sky grew, as if step by step returning from a nightmare-like otherworld to reality.

Finally, after more than ten days of sailing, the fleet completely escaped the pale mist and returned to the blazing noon sunlight. Only then did everyone breathe a sigh of relief.

Although in the past dozen years, that skeletal giant ship had occasionally left the mist that was gradually retreating northward, such instances were extremely rare.

As long as ships didn’t carry royalty or rare exotic beasts brought from their homeland, they didn’t need to worry about being hunted by that thing like a bone-attached maggot.

In the blink of an eye, nearly half a month had passed again.

With the sentry’s signal, the various important figures who had been resting inside the superstructure all came to the area near the bow, looking out over the railings and low walls toward the sea.

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Not far ahead, a continuous chain of islands gradually revealed its outline.

Though this island group was still not large enough to be called a continental plate, not even a quarter the size of the Southern Islands, in this boundless sea region, it could steadily claim one of the top three positions in terms of island area.

In the past, it had belonged to the most influential city-state in this sea, and had even intimidated this great ocean for several hundred years under its name.

Until more than ten years ago, when a massive fleet came from the distant east, that Prince took a liking to this place, so the city-state submitted and the island chain changed hands.

The largest magnificent city on the island naturally became the so-called outer capital.

Looking at the approaching coastline, watching children of slightly different skin tones playing together on the white sand, the officer reflected on the past with considerable emotion.

His weary black pupils even held a hint of greed, like a condemned prisoner with no hope of survival approaching the end of life, gazing at familiar beautiful scenery.

Soon, the warship carrying people with different thoughts but equally low spirits approached the middle of the island chain, then slowly entered the grand harbor.

Wooden boats came and went, with endless streams of people.

As the highest-ranking person in the fleet and also the one bearing the greatest guilt, the officer was naturally the first to disembark, then boarded a carriage toward the center of the magnificent city.

Passing through bustling streets, passing through inner city walls and carved beams and painted buildings rebuilt according to homeland customs, the carriage finally stopped before a side palace.

An elderly man with a hunched figure had been waiting at the door for a long time.

After surveying the officer who had gotten out of the carriage and stood before him with reproachful eyes, the old man with a somewhat sickly pale complexion sighed and shook his head.

Then he said in a slightly sharp voice: “Sir, please enter. His Highness has been waiting for you for a long time.”

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Hearing this, the officer nodded slightly and stepped into the side palace.

Whether he had completely given up hope during this past month and prepared himself for death, or held some intention to demonstrate his loyalty, his expression had become much more composed.

Before long, the officer reached the center of the hall and half-knelt behind one person.

After looking up at that youth dressed in magnificent robes embroidered with exotic beasts and cloud patterns, standing with hands behind his back and facing away, the officer lowered his head and softly called out “Your Highness.”

Then he said nothing more, waiting for judgment.

But despite being fully prepared, when the anticipated scene finally arrived, facing the silence of the person he had followed for more than ten years, he couldn’t help but feel nervous.

Cold sweat appeared on his forehead, and his breathing became heavy.

Perhaps for someone like him, the person before him was far more important than life and death.

He was willing to die, but didn’t want to disappoint the other.

But the officer hadn’t expected that after waiting and waiting, what came wasn’t cold rebuke or punishment.

But only a phrase as clear as water.

“Rise. I pardon you of all guilt.”

The calm, low voice echoed in the spacious hall, followed by another long silence.

When the officer recovered from his astonishment and almost unconsciously stood up, the person he called “Your Highness” had also turned around, silently looking at him.

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After an unknown time, the silence was broken as that person spoke again.

But still not as the officer expected—not reproach, comfort, or regret for his brother’s death. That person’s bland words didn’t even mention the siege once, as if he had long grown accustomed to such things.

His words also didn’t focus on the east or the legendary nameless island, but simply gave an order—an order that made the officer’s expression change completely.

“Make arrangements. I want to make a trip to the far seas.”

Hearing this command, the officer’s face, which had remained calm even when facing death, immediately paled. He was about to speak out to stop him, saying it was far too dangerous.

That strange ship would definitely find ways to integrate you into that flesh and blood hell.

But he couldn’t speak, because that person raised his hand.

From the youth’s gaze, the officer understood the firm resolve the other held, and finally guessed that this must be why he was willing to forgive him.

Because to this day, he was the only one left with the ability to barely command the entire fleet, even though… it was far from a fraction of its past glory.

But even so, doubts still couldn’t be suppressed, so the officer changed his question.

“But Your Highness, why exactly is this?”

Hearing the question, hearing those two words “Your Highness” again, the youth lowered his hand. In his black pupils, deeper and brighter than the officer’s, ripples appeared. After a moment, he said lightly: “Because not long ago, news came from Duke Lu.”

“He said the door to the west…”

“Has opened.”