CHAPTER 367: CHAPTER 205: GOLDEN LIGHT ON THE MAP_3

This emblem was likely the ship’s team insignia. Additionally, a flag bearing the Holy Machine Church’s symbol hung from the top. This indicated it was a team under a Church, one that operated openly.

The most noticeable feature of this ship was the circular nozzle at its stern. From this nozzle, Alka could confirm that this was indeed the steel shipwreck they had seen earlier.

So, is the person still alive, the owner of this Dream Bubble, a member of this steel ship?

Thinking this, he drifted down, landed on the ship’s deck, and looked towards the central command room. Through the transparent glass, he could already see a figure standing inside.

It was the human Alka had seen yesterday, though his attire no longer looked as pitiful as it did then. He wore a more fitting, gray outfit, with a robe draped over his back. The robe bore the insignia of the Church. This attire was quite similar to that of a religious Church member, and the cuffs had a similar feel. His attire possessed many Divine Elements.

Based on the information Alka had gathered since first seeing him, he could essentially confirm this person was a member of the Holy Machine Church.

Alka walked inside, pulled a stool from the side, and sat down. The man paid no attention to Alka’s presence, not even turning his head. This matched typical behavior in a Dream Realm.

After some thought, Alka suddenly asked, "What’s your name?"

Faced with Alka’s abrupt question, the man slightly turned his head to glance at Alka, then turned back, showing no intention of answering.

Not even saying his name?

Typically, regardless of the situation in a Dream Realm, asking for a name usually yielded a response. Not always, of course, but there was about a 75% chance. Beyond this, it was difficult to get answers to other questions. This was especially true unless the question aligned closely with his Dream Realm.

Fortunately, Alka had done some research for this journey.

"This ship is quite beautiful. What’s it called?"

This successfully caught the man’s attention. He turned his head to look at Alka, then turned back again, but his voice reached him.

"Steel Melody."

"Steel Melody, huh? A very fitting name."

After waiting a moment, Alka asked again, "What happened to this ship in the end?"

"It stopped. I don’t know."

Alka sat beside him silently, looking down and pondering. Although the man’s answer was vague and hard to understand, Alka suspected he knew something.

Through his many experiments, Alka knew that people in a Dream Realm either didn’t answer questions, or their answers were always definitive—definitive for the dreamer themselves.

If the man were alive and able to move, he would certainly know the ship had become a wreck. He wouldn’t answer, "I don’t know." Instead, he would use descriptors like "shattered" or "destroyed."

It stopped. That much can be confirmed. This means his last awareness of the ship was when it stopped. He doesn’t know its current state.

What circumstances could lead to such a situation? Is he a spirit, like the Evil Spirits of the Realm of Pitch Darkness, unable to leave a certain area? Is he trapped within the ship, unable to see its entirety? Or is he still alive, merely in some bizarre, imprisoned state, which would produce a similar effect?

Moreover, if he were alive, it would explain why his Dream Realm yesterday involved gluttony, like a starving ghost. Because he really is hungry.

Considering this, it’s very possible he has become an undead spirit, confined within the ship. There were too many possibilities, but at least there was a general direction.

Alka asked a few more questions, but aside from matters related to the ship, the man in front of him answered nothing else. Thus, the information Alka could gather was very limited. He still wanted to ask about the Treasure or the crew members.

For instance, if Alka asked how many cannons the ship had and their power, the man would happily answer. He might even provide expansive, descriptive answers.

The conditions in a Dream Realm were too restrictive for gathering intelligence.

Having gathered all the information he could, Alka slowly flew upwards and exited the man’s Dream Bubble.

He now had one last method to obtain more intelligence, but first, he needed to return.

Returning to his own Dream Bubble, he didn’t sleep to recover. Instead, he woke up immediately. He lit the nearby lamp, and the map he had recently acquired appeared in his hand.

He tapped the golden point on it.

The name of the Treasure still didn’t appear, and Alka obtained no information about this Treasure. However, one blue point and one white point did reveal their names and information. These two points were located on one side of the map. Furthermore, the information explicitly stated that these two Treasures were on the now-destroyed steel ship.

The blue point marked a weapon once belonging to a crew member of that ship, while the white point was the ship’s Treasure Vault, used for storing valuables and money. It was foreseeable that this Treasure Vault would yield substantial funds for them.

The other two blue points, one white point, and the golden point were on the other side of the map. This suggested that these Treasures might be inside the wooden ship. They were items left behind by members of the destroyed wooden ship’s crew. Alka, however, knew nothing about that wooden ship or any related information.

Having gathered more information, Alka sat dazed on his bed. Another option now lay before him.

He tapped the crystal protruding from his chest.

To gain more intelligence, should he awaken the only living person within the Dream Realm?