Pillar of Yita

Fang Hong was taken aback and instinctively asked, ”Who is that?”

”The snakehead who brought you up, I mentioned to you before.”

”Did you? He’s dead?”

Su Changfeng nodded.

”How did he die?”

”He died in the confinement room, he was alone at the time. We investigated all relevant personnel, including guards and doctors, a total of sixteen people, but none of them had the time or motive to commit the crime. The surveillance was functioning well all along, except for failing five minutes before his death, and by the time others arrived, he had already lost signs of life, with no external injuries, and died of sudden ventricular fibrillation.”

Fang Hong’s mouth gradually opened wider until it could fit an egg. He felt like he was listening to a bone-chilling horror story and hadn’t yet realized that the protagonist of this story might be related to him.

”Remember last time I said I had something to tell you? It’s just that at the time, the investigation wasn’t completed, so I didn’t say. Before bringing you up, there were large amounts of unknown origin funds flowing into his personal account. Our investigation found the funds came from anonymous accounts abroad, and due to interference from a certain government, we still haven’t traced the true source.”

”A certain government?”

”As long as you understand.”

”Ade,” Su Changfeng said earnestly, ”Your coming to Eteliria might not be so simple. This matter might even relate to your parents, so be mentally prepared.”

Fang Hong sat there like a puppet, mouth agape, unmoving.

”This is still a secret for now. We’ll notify your uncle and aunt, but don’t contact outsiders yet. I’m worried about leaks, keep the secret in your heart until the truth is revealed.”

Fang Hong listened silently, and after a long while, he nodded silently. He could barely remember what his parents looked like, and upon suddenly hearing the word ’parents,’ he felt a sense of unfamiliarity.

Yet after the unfamiliarity, there was a prickly pain. His uncle’s family treated him well, but they could never fill the void of his missing parents. When his parents left, he was young, and he gradually understood during his growth that they would never return to him. There wasn’t an overwhelming sadness, but rather a faint loneliness lingering in his heart.

”Lastly, the expansion of Stargate Port has begun, and there will be some developments happening soon. You might want to keep an eye on related news.”

Su Changfeng looked at Fang Hong, who appeared dazed and unsure whether he was truly listening.

But he also understood why he thought about it and didn’t speak.

After Su Changfeng left for a long time, Fang Hong still didn’t realize the conversation had ended.

Until he saw a single eye in the darkness, looking at him as if it could speak, blinking gently, flickering.

The Wind Lantern had already gone out, but the Miss Ship’s Officer, who had fallen asleep on the table, had woken up at some point. She turned her head, resting on her hand, with only one eye open, gazing at him with a glint in her eye.

”You’re awake?” Fang Hong, feeling a bit down, softly asked.

Hilveld nodded, and then she opened her mouth and replied softly:

”I agree.”

”What did you say?”

”I said I agree, Lord Captain.” Hilveld chuckled lightly.

Fang Hong suddenly recalled his conversation with Su Changfeng, stunned as he looked at her, she had been awake then?

Then didn’t that mean Hilveld heard everything he said afterward? His face flushed hotly, but thankfully, it wasn’t noticeable in the dark.

”Hi, hi, hi... you were awake, why didn’t you, tell me?”

”If I told you, wouldn’t I have missed hearing the Lord Captain’s most tender love words?”

Hilveld looked at him quietly and spoke softly, ”I don’t want to be your Miss Ship’s Officer anymore, Lord Captain.”

”I want to be your wife.”

In the darkness, it was silent.

...

Fang Hong didn’t know how he got through the night yesterday.

He listened to the light breathing beside him, turned his head, and looked at the sleeping face of the Noble Lady, serene like a princess from a fairy tale, sleeping deeply among roses and thorns.

And could he be considered her prince?

Fang Hong looked at the girl beside him.

Her golden hair draped over her milky white arms like tasseled silk, with porcelain-like skin under her neck, clad only in a thin nightdress.

Last night, after hearing Su Changfeng’s words, he was a bit dazed, and then came Hilveld’s sudden confession.

After that, it was like a dream, where they both confided in each other, and embraced to sleep, almost completely accepting each other, just short of crossing that final line.

Aside from death, perhaps nothing could separate them now.

Not even death, Fang Hong thought as he stared at the girl’s peaceful face.

...

In the Abyssal Sea, there was no real difference between day and night; dimness was the predominant tone.

The Seven Seas Traveler continued to sail southward, trying its best to stay clear of Orlenze’s domain, and until safety was assured, none of them planned to return to the Sky Sea.

After resting for a night, everyone regained their spirit, but Fang Hong still couldn’t help glancing inside whenever he passed by the chart room.

Hilveld was inside with Gita, organizing the charts, but it seemed as if the two were in tune with each other as Miss Ship’s Officer would occasionally lift her head to meet his gaze, then smile and look down again.

This sweet anticipation seemed to wash away the worries that had just risen in Fang Hong’s heart, for after all, the matter with his parents had happened long ago, and he could barely recall those childhood times.