CHAPTER 488: CHAPTER 374 NIGHTMARE ACT ONE: THE WHITE SHIP INCIDENT_2

After all, apart from the treacherous climate, the sea was filled with all sorts of Bizarre creatures, Evil Spirits, and Ancient God’s Chosen Races, which were likewise special products of overseas voyages.

If one didn’t bring back some "local specialty" from a trip, it would be a disservice to the enthusiasm and hospitality of the overseas routes.

Even if they were lucky and managed to successfully reach Banta’an and even the Shattered Isles, it didn’t guarantee a successful adventure; more often than not, they would lose their investment.

This kind of investment plan, filled with pitfalls, was doomed to fail 99% of the time, and only a very few blessed by the creator would earn a substantial return.

Therefore, Adventurers believed more than any other group in the principle that "risk and reward are directly proportional."

Previously, the Pirate King [Ocean Throne] had solemnly sworn an oath in front of the reinforcements, invoking his Kingly Title to communicate with the [Silver Code],

"All benefits will be distributed based on contribution, with more work leading to more rewards.

In the operation to remove two obstacles and clear the route, those who contribute more will receive more benefits after the battle.

Supervised by the Silver Law!"

This was also the template for the "Wilderness Reclamation Orders." These orders were held by various pioneering Knights when humanity first stepped onto the stage of history during the initial stages of the Silver Era.

As long as the wild Natural World could be transformed into a Humanized World under human control, the [Silver Code] would reward them, absolutely fair and just.

Of course, there was a big prerequisite: one must... survive to the end!

If the [Raven Vessel] and [Ironclaw Vessel] hadn’t received intelligence from Byron—knowing that when facing [the world’s first pirate ship], the Pirate King’s side might be the most dangerous—those who had already clung to his coattails would never have wanted to serve as Scouts.

Meanwhile, other Adventurers, who knew nothing about what they were about to face, signed up eagerly for the sake of honors and adventuring profits.

They simply thought they needed to deal with two Mystic Forbidden Zones formed by a Second Grade World Rift. They assumed the danger level would be, at most, similar to that of Silvergold Island.

If there were only fixed rules of killing, it was completely controllable for Mid-Sequences Transcendents.

Little did they know, not only Mystic Forbidden Zones but also two voracious Heretical Cults lurked here, as well as the Corpse of an Old God behind the rift!

The level of danger was ten times, a hundred times that of similar ranked Mystic Forbidden Zones!

The difference was like that between "killing by the law" and "killing by mood;" the former being called rule of law, and the latter tyranny.

At this moment, a fierce wind suddenly arose at sea, darkening the sky and the earth.

Accompanied by the ROAR of water, nearly ten-meter-high waves from the direction of the Southern Continent loomed over the Fleet like a wall.

The needle on the Compass no longer pointed north-south but aligned itself with the angle inside a regular triangle, deviating 60 degrees suddenly before swinging around drunkenly.

It seemed as though the space within the entire triangular sea area had completely closed off.

Fortunately, the turmoil came quickly and went quickly.

By the time they had stabilized their Warships and peered into the misty sea ahead, they surprisingly found an old, solitary ship that hadn’t been there before.

It looked to be several hundred years old—a very standard galley.

Under normal circumstances, galleys were rarely used at sea, let alone appearing under the current Bizarre conditions, making its arrival all the more suspicious.

This vessel had its sails fully raised, running parallel and in the same direction as their Fleet.

Moreover, sails and oars were both at work, as if it were competing against them in a race, running faster and faster.

"There’s something wrong with this thing!"

All three Captains were experienced Adventurers and didn’t need anyone else to tell them this ship was strange.

The Beast Tamer’s seagull Messengers had already flown over at the earliest opportunity.

They quickly discovered the ship was deadly silent; moving around inside the cabin, they found not a single soul on board; the oars seemed to row by themselves.

However, the deck and hold were laden with fine wines and foods, as if a banquet had just been held. The rich aroma of wine suggested many were probably dead drunk.

It wasn’t until a seagull flew to the stern and saw the ship’s name on the gilded, grandiose aft gallery—the White Ship.

Upon seeing the name of the ship, Dickens, the Spirit Medium, who was also partly a Prophet, had an insight and his complexion changed dramatically.

He urgently warned his own crew and the other two friendly ships,

"Not good, hurry, speed up, this ship is towing... a ship full of Evil Spirits!

Don’t let the White Ship overtake us!"

Many others in the Fleet exclaimed in shock,

"The White Ship?!!"

Upon subconsciously shouting out the ship’s name,

the galley suddenly became abuzz with noise.

Lights flared up, and men and women dressed in gorgeous attire chatted and laughed with wine glasses in hand on the deck.

Among them, like a moon surrounded by stars, was a youth wearing a simple Crown, pointing and discussing their three ships.

"Hiss—!"

Many sailors drew a sharp breath, and a layer of cold sweat broke out on their backs instantly.

Especially on the [Raven Vessel], dominated by Harkins People, many were all too familiar with this [White Ship].

It was the most tragic capsizing incident in the history of the Hastings Royal Family, aside from the complete annihilation of the Lancaster Family in the Strait of Dover.

On November 25, 1120 of the Silver Era, the [White Ship] also capsized not far from the Strait of Dover. It carried the 17-year-old Prince William, son of King Henry I of Hethens, his illegitimate daughter Matilda, his illegitimate son Richard, numerous other Royal Family members, the offspring of young Nobility, and other passengers.

Out of nearly 300 people on board, only a butcher who also was a cook survived.

The cause of the disaster was a celebration held after a great victory over the Iris kingdom, where King Henry I and Prince William sailed back on two different ships.

After setting sail, they were delayed by the banquet. The Prince unexpectedly discovered that the King and the other ships of the Fleet had departed much earlier, leaving the [White Ship] far behind.

The Prince himself and the young nobles around him were flushed with youthful exuberance. After getting drunk, they persuaded the Prince to accelerate, hoping to be the first to return to the Royal Capital of Kingston.

Thus, Prince William commanded the Captain to use all the rowers to row at full speed amidst the winter’s blustery waves, ultimately leading to the accident.

Even more tragically, after the [White Ship] capsized, the Prince initially had the chance to escape on the only lifeboat, protected by the Guardian Knights.

But wanting to rescue his half-sister, he was overwhelmed by others desperately seeking survival, who rushed onto the small boat like mad.

Eventually, the lifeboat couldn’t bear the weight, and everyone vanished together into the monstrous waves of the North Sea winter.

Afterwards, the winter no-sailing edict of the Hethings Strait Fleet was not unrelated to this event.

Nobody knows why. Despite the Hastings Royal Family possessing the blood of the Blue Dragon King and a known affinity with the sea, they often capsized right near their own North Sea doorstep.

The Royal Family almost got wiped out in one sweep, which became a recurring Nightmare for the Direct Lineage of the Bayfolk Bloodline for many years to come.

As for whether there was more to the story, outsiders could only speculate.

Perhaps because the people on that ship died so unjustly and tragically,

the [White Ship] was often sighted thereafter, carrying a shipful of Evil Spirits filled with overwhelming resentment in the North Sea,

and anyone who encountered it had an eighty percent chance of not surviving.

The murder rules were:

"First Phase: Speed Competition Mode.

You must not let the White Ship overtake you!

They died in a race. As long as you are not surpassed by them, you can safely reach your destination, just like King Henry I’s ship did back then.

But once the White Ship overtakes you, a dangerous ’Death Replacement’ mode will be triggered."

"Second Phase: Death Replacement Mode.

The 17-year-old Prince and Crown Prince William carries the heaviest grudge.

An accident not only caused his Death on the spot but also made him miss the supreme kingship that was within arm’s reach.

He will lead the ship’s Evil Spirits, making all living beings experience the despair he felt before Death.

Typically, except for the sole cook on the ship, the rest are hardly able to escape Death."

Byron had already acquired first-hand intelligence from the Deep Dive Church.

He knew that after they initiated the sacrifice ceremony, the Nightmare Triangle would connect to the Dream Realm of the Slumbering God. This connection would allow waves of Nightmares to overflow from it.

Nightmares born from human Fear might not be as real as actual Evil Spirits, but within the range of the "Nightmare Triangle," they were even more tangible than reality!

As long as they hadn’t left the scope of the New Continent, retreating back into the Shattered Isles within the "Celestial Orbital Belt,"

no matter where they were within the Nightmare Triangle, everything they faced was exactly the same, with no distinction between the front line or the rear.

This was also one of the reasons James and the others were allowed to Scout ahead, venturing deep on their own.

「At the same time.」

From the Scouts to the vanguard, from the vanguard to the main Fleet, from the main Fleet to [The Golden Deer] hanging back like a shadow...

In front of everyone appeared a galley laden with Evil Spirits, sending chills down their spines—the [White Ship]!