CHAPTER 267: CHAPTER 266 BOLD IDEA

At the very moment the "Ghost Cloak" completely enveloped the "Storm Horn".

Whish—

More than a dozen large shadows descended like an impenetrable black curtain, covering the entire lagoon.

Everyone on the ship felt their hearts leap into their throats.

Thud.. Thud.. Thud..

Especially on the utterly silent deck, it even felt like a series of loud drumbeats.

However, their worries were obviously unnecessary.

The shadow curtain fell but passed through like ordinary shadows, having no interaction with the "Storm Horn" and its crew.

If, at this moment, Aiven was using the "Mist Silver Lamp", even if the lizards’ view would be obscured by the mist, the ship’s entity would still exist in the Material World, with absolutely no escape route.

But the ability of the "Ghost Cloak" is void-like, existing between being and not being like a ghost.

When cloaked by it, all light and shadow no longer have any relation to them!

Roar!!!

The giant beasts, fruitless, manifested back on the island, roaring anxiously and furiously while gazing at the still ongoing fight of small groups around them.

Echoing continuously without cease.

Boom——!

The Lizard King raised itself upright and pounded heavily on the ground, causing a tremor. Yet it was merely impotent rage, offering no help in uncovering the "culprit" or stopping the island’s bloody scene.

Thus, they survived the calamity.

"Finally got through it."

After the harrowing moment, many crew members collapsed directly to the ground, while a few in a slightly better state propped their hands on their knees, panting desperately as if they had just completed a half marathon.

"I almost thought my life was over.

These large lizards, besides their stronger ’Shadow Transformation’ ability, those two leading ones likely have Tier-3 level strength; otherwise, my ’Psychic Warning’ wouldn’t be so dull!"

Milan sat on the deck, leaning bonelessly against the bulwark, with deep fear evident on his face.

This sort of species, capable of hiding in another dimension, was practically a bug-like existence to a "Prophet" relying on the Spiritual World for detection.

Descending from the Shadow Realm to the Material World, they leave no trace until they leap from the shadows into being, making it impossible for Milan to capture their information.

Except... for the egg left on the surface of the Material World, covered by the Shadow Barrier!

The complete failure of the "Divination Skill" was the root cause of their panicked, headless flight today.

Even if they had detected some bits of information about the island’s depths, today’s twists might not have happened, leaving Milan, feeling his role was unfulfilled, quite self-blaming.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

No time to comfort Milan, Aiven clapped to seize everyone’s attention.

"Actually, there’s another problem facing us."

Then, Aiven explained to everyone the side effects and most severe consequences of the "Ghost Cloak".

Amidst faces alternating with different hues, he asked Gary to bring up another bucket of water.

"Since the side effects are sensory loss and neural numbness.

I think we can try to temporarily increase our body’s excitement level.

As long as we reach a peak far beyond normal, even if significantly weakened again, it wouldn’t be much of an issue."

There was one thing Aiven left unsaid.

No one has thoroughly understood the principles of Ocean Treasures yet, nor does anyone know exactly how many exist in the world.

Whether this way can actually avoid the side effects of Ocean Treasures is entirely his guess.

But doing something is undeniably better than letting the dreadful side effects directly descend upon them.

"Uh..."

The crew members’ faces instantly looked like paint jars had been knocked over, having astutely realized what Aiven meant by temporarily increasing excitement levels.

Glancing at the outer world composed of black-gray lines, where lizards were still locked in various struggles, they couldn’t help but shiver.

But out of trust for the Captain, they quickly helped bind everyone.

Leaving only Aiven, Milan, and Gary, who had the strongest extraordinary constitution to resist negative effects, tasked with feeding each tied-up crew member a mouthful of diluted "Frenzy Potion."

Moments later.

The ship was filled with a chorus of repressed, low growls.

"Ah——"

"So hungry, so hungry!"

"I want to eat something, eat beef, eat lamb, eat... anything will do!"

This was the normal display for most crew, an intense "appetite," which Aiven recorded nearby.

"Look at my chest hair; has anyone seen such beautiful chest hair? I take pride in my beautiful chest hair!"

"No, my leg hair is the prettiest!"

"Nonsense, it’s my beard that’s the most beautiful!"

A few initially displayed a "desire for performance," boasting about muscles, body hair, drinking capacity... there was nothing they wouldn’t compare.

’Were these guys always this ostentatious? Hard to watch, goodbye!’

But despite the chiding in his heart, he dutifully recorded everything he saw.

"The captain’s chair is mine, I’m the best captain..."

Hmm, here was a lad who seemed to have no particular desire; he was simply having a hysterical episode.

’However, young man, your thoughts are quite dangerous! You need further treatment!’

Inwardly assessing, Aiven drew a heavy line in his notebook.

Ah——!

Then Aiven was suddenly drawn by a voice that defied description, and looking over, saw that in the corner lay Fleck, a new recruit he had high hopes for in extraordinary advancement.

Approaching him, he found the young soldier staring at a finger-thin hole on the ship’s wall, licking his lips and exclaiming in a voice that sent shivers down the spine, "Let go of me! I have a bold idea!"

Aiven glanced at the hole and then at Fleck, feeling a chill down his spine.

Bang—

So, he suddenly smashed a fist onto Fleck’s head, knocking him out with a heavy, hammer-like blow.

Casually jotting in his notes, Aiven muttered to himself, "No, you have no such desire!"

By this time, the notes detailed the symptoms the crew showed after ingesting the "Frenzy Potion", clearly revealing that human emotions and desires were far more nuanced than those of the "Shadow Lizards", manifesting in stronger degrees.

Faces flushed, muscles involuntarily twitching and convulsing, as if every tissue was rebelling.

Even though it was diluted and carefully dosed by Aiven, these sailors at most at the Peak of Apprentice still behaved pathetically.

However, compared to potential sensory loss and neural numbness, this price was negligible.

Except...

For the warrior, who kept insisting he wanted to become the captain, recorded separately by Aiven. His price would be a bit heavier.

"Hey! Aiven, what are you doing?"

Aiven’s actions caught Milan’s attention, who had just finished feeding all the crew the potion and saw Aiven jotting notes. Curiously, he asked.

Walking over to Aiven, he glanced at the notebook in Aiven’s hand: names, ages, roles, physical fitness, body temperatures, basic desire manifestations, and things said by the soldiers including Captain Officer.

It seemed like a... a record of experiments!

Facing Milan’s looks of disdain.

Aiven awkwardly tucked away the notebook.

"Ahem, nothing, nothing, I’m just caring for the crew’s health."

He had already pretty much completed the data recording, with over two hundred healthy samples paving Aiven’s way to the "Spirit Communication Potion". Thanks were due to the crew’s contributions.

"Anyway, they’ve already taken the potion, right?

To make the most of it! I didn’t do it on purpose!"

After solving the crew’s issues, Aiven took out the original solution of the "Frenzy Potion" and dropped a droplet into the mouths of the remaining three extraordinaries, including himself.

Thanks to their extraordinary constitution, their final demeanor was just like being slightly tipsy, at least much "better-looking" than the crew’s state.

Having done all they could, the only task left was to wait.

By now, Aiven had long lost the mind to rest or continue his witchcraft studies.

Staying on the deck with everyone, he listened to the crew’s various nonsensical talk.

Keeping his eyes fixed on the time jump in the "Data Visualization".

Enduring the agony minute by minute.

Waiting for the moment when the sun would rise again!