Captain, Lost!

The white garments on those corpses that had not yet completely rotted away were Church of Light robes. The thousand-plus corpses lying neatly within this burial pit were believers of Light. They had once come to Dark Moon Island at the invitation of Clan Patriarch Bernard of the Dark Moon, making immense contributions to the island's development. Just as General Tafman had said, the reason Ancestor Bernard became a hero revered by everyone on Dark Moon Island today was never solely because of his love story. It was because he was truly formidable, because his achievements were vast and plentiful. Only on that foundation was his love story eagerly discussed and recounted by later generations as a cherished romance and legend. Under Bernard's rule, Dark Moon Island had made tremendous strides, transforming from a minor faction isolated out at sea into a regional power that could not be ignored—one that could now even hold formal talks and forge a partnership with the Church of Order. All of this rested on the foundation and framework established in Bernard's era. Karen hadn't read those two notebooks, but he could make a fair guess. To entice such a massive faction of Light remnants onto Dark Moon Island and reach an agreement, Bernard must have promised them something. And for those Light remnants, having a foothold, a base, a solid starting ground to begin anew was a temptation they simply could not refuse. Still, they would have been exceedingly cautious, knowing the sensitivity of their identity. Even so, Bernard had managed to invite them onto the island; Bernard's personal role must have played a massive part in that. Yet once the affair concluded, once these Light remnants had contributed their strength and lifeblood to Dark Moon Island's development, they were slaughtered and buried right here. This stone monument was a tombstone Bernard had erected for them. Upon the tablet, their contributions were acknowledged—and Bernard had not concealed his own shameless betrayal. Not far from Dark Moon Island, this isle had been permanently sealed away. Even if you sailed a ship right past it, you would never see its presence. This was no serpent isle, but a tomb island. Buried here were not only the corpses of over a thousand believers of Light, but also the secret behind Dark Moon Island's true rise, along with the filthy, dark side of Ancestor Bernard, a man praised by all. Ophelia bit her lip, her heart a churning mess of emotions. Naturally, Karen believed she would recover quickly. She wouldn't break down over this, nor would her composure shatter. After all, as an ancestor, Bernard had rendered outstanding service to his descendants and the islanders of Dark Moon Island. And as a strong contender for the next clan patriarch, even if she was still young, Ophelia could not possibly be ignorant of the dark underbelly that high office entailed. It was just that the story of Ancestor Bernard was too poetic—so romantic that colliding with harsh reality produced a jarring sense of disparity. Karen felt that disparity as well. Because the Bernard he was familiar with and knew was merely a pitiful young patriarch-to-be who had desperately pursued Purr. Even though Purr had loathed his pestering, subjected him to all sorts of cold mockery, and even stranded him on a peril-fraught deserted island in a bid to "forget each other on the vast sea," he remained infatuated with a romance that had touched no one but himself. Oh no, he had even woven a sweet dream with his lies—a dream in which he moved not only himself, but generations of Dark Moon islanders. So much so that when Ophelia stood before Purr's tombstone at Wien Manor, her eyes had actually brimmed red. He was a laughable man, a pathetic man—one might even feel a twinge of pity for him. Yet it was precisely this man who, at this moment, showed Karen the cold-blooded monster beneath the mask. Karen had interacted with people from the Church of Light. They were prudent, cautious, and harbored an innate distrust of everything around them. And yet, Bernard had still managed to use and betray them. Ophelia spoke up. "I've only just started reading the notebook. I imagine there should be an account of this near the end." "A pity the answer was revealed beforehand." "Is it a pity?" Ophelia murmured. "Perhaps that's why your uncle told you to receive the Dark Moon's blessing before reading those things. This sort of history cannot see the light of day." Ophelia nodded. "The person you were chasing... is a remnant of Light?" "Yes." "He knew about the teleportation array in my uncle's villa." "So it seems." "Who is he?" "I don't know." "You're still hiding things from me." "Yes. There are things I cannot tell you." "We are kin, aren't we?" "I'm still looking for a sense of belonging, and now isn't the time to discuss this anyway. How do we get back?" "That stone monument is only the receiving point of the teleportation array." "Who was the former owner of your uncle's villa?" "It has always been palace property. Direct-line clan members can obtain the right to use it." "In other words, in the past, that villa could have belonged to Ancestor Bernard?" "Uncle said that the villa once belonged to that person. That person must have been the leader of this band of Light remnants... believers of Light." "The house is large, and more than one person could live there. So this definitely isn't a one-way teleportation; the array back to Dark Moon Island must be on this island as well. Look, these corpses were laid out very neatly—clearly arranged after they were slaughtered. The people who dealt with the bodies, who left that tombstone behind, definitely had to return. Perhaps while Ancestor Bernard was alive, he even came here often to take a look." "Take a look?" "Reminiscing over old friends doesn't conflict with that, even though he betrayed and murdered them." "Then let's start searching. I want to leave this place, and this place should never be made public." "You sound as though you want to silence me forever." "You are Ancestor Bernard's descendant. You ought to protect his glorious name." "Perhaps I can follow the example of the poet Rogin and leave behind a copy of Karen's Secret Diary, to be published fifty years after my death." "Now is hardly the time for humor. Anger is stewing inside me over what you hid tonight." "I know, I know. That's why I'm trying to distract you." Ophelia reached out to grab Karen's collar, but his eyes narrowed and he pushed off with one foot, dodging away. "You heard everything Uncle and I said tonight. I said I had feelings for you." "I have feelings for you too. You are beautiful and lovely." "Perhaps I can follow Ancestor Bernard's example and bury you here as well. This is a fine place to bury shameful feelings, isn't it?" Hearing this, Karen licked his lips. He knew she was angry. Given her status, holding it in from their afternoon meeting to the evening and all the way until now before showing the first signs of venting was already remarkable. "I can do it. Even if you possess Dark Moon blood, and even if your standing in the Church of Order is high, do not push me too far." "All right." Ophelia nodded. "Now, find the teleportation array." "All right." Karen knew she was simply fuming and miserable. Under such circumstances, unless he was willing to coax and pamper her, anything he said would be taken as an offense. Fortunately, Karen believed she was only venting verbally; she could control her emotions. The teleportation array wasn't likely to be by the shore, so the two made their way toward the dense jungle. The island teemed with snakes. As they walked, their soles constantly crunched against snake skins scattered across the ground, dry and brittle. Karen finally understood where the term "snakeskin bag" came from. Yet despite the island's lush vegetation, there seemed to be no traces of other living creatures. How had so many snakes managed to multiply and survive? Near the center of the island stood a hillside, not particularly high. Ophelia stepped across the rocks to climb it, with Karen following behind. As they ascended, both kept an eye out for any caves. At last, they reached the crest of the hill. From here, they could look down across the entire island. Sea stretched out in all directions, evoking a desolate sense of isolation and abandonment. "Let's split up. I'll take this side, you take that side, and we'll meet back here in an hour," Ophelia suggested. "I don't agree to splitting up," Karen, who had remained silent the whole way, finally said. "It invites accidents." Splitting up in an unfamiliar, dangerous environment was practically rolling out the red carpet for disaster, begging for trouble to happen. Ophelia seemed to misunderstand his meaning. "I won't abandon you and teleport back alone." Karen glanced at her, feeling a slight urge to laugh, but he suppressed it and kept his tone as calm as possible. "I've never worried about you leaving me behind." "Then why..." "I'm a coward. I'm scared. I'm afraid of the dark." Ophelia stared at him for a long while before finally nodding. "Fine. This way." Karen and Ophelia began descending the hill, Ophelia in front and Karen behind. Halfway down, Ophelia stopped in her tracks. A cave had appeared ahead. "The teleportation array is very likely inside." Ophelia pulled a luminous pearl from her pocket and brushed her fingers across it. The pearl instantly flared, its brilliance rivaling a searchlight. They stepped into the cave. Surprisingly, the interior was dry. By rights, this should have been a natural den for the snakes, yet no scales or shed skins were in sight, nor was there any of the foul stench typical of serpents. After walking deeper inside, a door appeared ahead—a stone door. Karen moved forward to push it open, but Ophelia beat him to it, extending a hand. The stone door swung open. The luminous pearl floated upward, drifting inside to illuminate the surroundings. Inside was a stove topped with a pot. The stove was small, serving merely to prop up the cooking pot. Further in sat a stone bed and a stone cabinet. This was clearly a crude yet fully functional living quarter. Karen even spotted a large jar in the corner—in all likelihood, a chamber pot. The pearl rose higher, revealing a chandelier carved of stone hanging above. It must have held lamp oil once, though it was likely unlightable by now. "We might have entered from the wrong side. The real entrance should be over there." Karen pointed to a door on the opposite wall. Ophelia walked over and pushed it open. Beyond was a larger chamber furnished with a row of tables and chairs, resembling a parlor. As the luminous pearl floated forward, lighting up more of the area, two figures appeared ahead. Their appearance instantly sent Ophelia and Karen into a defensive stance. Quickly, however, they realized it was a false alarm—not living people, but two humanoid stone statues. Across from the two stone statues stood two stone sarcophagi. "This is a statue of Ancestor Bernard," Ophelia said, pointing to one. "And this one looks familiar." Karen stepped closer and saw it was a female statue. The woman wore a hooded cowl, a gemstone necklace around her neck, a long dress, and boots, with a wand held in her hand. Wasn't this Purr?! "It's Purr," Karen said. "Oh, right. In the Palace of Yearning that Ancestor Bernard built for Lady Purr, I've seen her statue. It really is her." Karen noticed that the two statues' hands were clasped together, standing side by side like lovers. This detail made Karen instinctively uncomfortable. If Ophelia hadn't been standing right beside him, he would have smashed Bernard's statue to pieces on the spot. Now he could truly appreciate why Purr found this man so annoying and nauseating. Bernard was genuinely narcissistic to a sickening degree. "These two sarcophagi..." Ophelia looked at them. "Do they symbolize Ancestor Bernard and Lady Purr being buried together after death?" "We can open them and see," Karen suggested. Ophelia hesitated, then nodded. Karen bent down, grasped the edge of the stone lid, and pushed with force. A scraping sound echoed, kicking up a plume of dust. Finally, Karen pushed the lid ajar. The interior was completely empty, devoid of any body. "It must be symbolic," Ophelia reiterated her earlier guess. Noncommittal, Karen stepped over to the second sarcophagus, bent down, gripped the lid with both hands, and pushed. To Karen's surprise, pushing this lid kicked up no dust at all. This meant someone had opened this sarcophagus recently! Who? Who could it be? Captain, was it you? Had the captain been here before them? Then where was he now? After all, three people had been teleported here together. It was overwhelmingly likely to be the captain. Karen pushed the stone lid open. This sarcophagus was not empty—inside lay the corpse of a woman. The body had desiccated into a mummy, yet it still retained traces of her living appearance. The clothes she wore were also Church of Light robes. "It's not Lady Purr," Ophelia said. No kidding. At this hour, Purr should be sleeping soundly on the big bed back in the bedroom. How could she possibly be lying here? Karen shook his head. "It's his wife." "His wife?" "This isn't a symbolic arrangement. It's meant to represent two families, symbolizing their friendship and bond." "The person who left the notebook?" Her uncle had shown her two notebooks—one by Ancestor Bernard, and the other by "him," the leader of this band of Light believers. "Most likely." Karen pointed to Bernard's statue. "He was preserving their friendship in this manner. These two statues: one represents Bernard himself, and beside him is Lady Purr, the woman Bernard believed should have been his other half. Across from them, the two sarcophagi were meant for 'him' and 'his' wife." Ophelia noticed Karen didn't use an honorific when mentioning "Bernard" this time, but she merely took it for granted that Karen felt no sense of belonging toward his lineage or Dark Moon Island. In truth, Karen's disgust for Bernard had reached an absolute zenith. Just how shameless did someone have to be to murder a man's subordinates and wife, and then set up a display like this to play house? Truly utterly shameless. "Only his wife?" Ophelia asked. "He must have escaped and wasn't killed by Bernard." "Escaped? Then the person you were chasing... is his descendant?" "It seems so, in a sense." That "he" had to be the descendant of the Mad Pope, a member of the Philias family. That man had died at the bottom of the sea, where the captain discovered his corpse, consumed him, and fused with him to a certain degree. So if one insisted that the captain was "his" descendant, it wasn't entirely wrong. Back then, Philias had led a massive contingent of Light believers to cooperate with Bernard, aiding him in building up Dark Moon Island. Once the deed was done, Bernard slaughtered them all. Philias's wife also died in that betrayal, while Philias himself managed to escape. Had he died in an accident while being hunted down after escaping, or had he survived for some time before dying in the undersea cavern? Karen had no way of knowing. Yet guided by the clues in the captain's "memories," Philias was unquestionably this "he." No wonder the captain hadn't been willing to wait even a single day, insisting on sneaking in to seek this secret even when the villa's current master had returned. The secret here was truly of paramount importance to "him." "The teleportation array doesn't seem to be here," Ophelia said. She was still more concerned with how to get back. "It should be out this way, likely outside. We came in through the back entrance; going out here leads to the main entrance." Karen composed his emotions, pushed the sarcophagus lid back in place to seal it, rose to his feet, and gestured for Ophelia to walk out with him. Beyond stood another stone door. Pushing it open, their view outside immediately widened. This side faced Dark Moon Island directly. Shrouded by trees, there was a platform with clear traces of cast stone. The teleportation array was right there! "Someone's there!" Ophelia warned. Karen noticed as well. A figure stood on the platform, a stag's head perched atop his head. The captain! Karen let out a long breath of relief. The captain was waiting here for him so they could return together. Well, tonight's adventure—or farce—could finally come to an end. He sorely missed the soft bed in his standard hotel room; he really should have gone to soak in the hot springs tonight. Yet what happened next instantly sent Karen's heart right back into his throat. "Elisa, you left me... Elisa..." Was the captain mourning Miss Elisa? "Jennifer, you left me... Jennifer..." Jennifer? Instinctively, Karen thought of the woman lying inside the sarcophagus he had just opened. Just then, the captain turned his head toward Karen and Ophelia. A wave of dread surged in Karen's chest. The moment the captain uttered the unfamiliar woman's name, "Jennifer," Karen knew something was horribly wrong. The captain reached up and removed the stag head from his head. What was revealed beneath was not a face wrapped in black veil, nor was it the captain's face—it was a ghastly, bloody, crimson face. The captain had removed his mask. His gaze settled upon Ophelia. Drawing in a deep breath, he bared his teeth in a savage sneer: "The scent of the Dark Moon bloodline... That's right... That's the scent... Heh... The Dark Moon... should perish... All with Dark Moon blood... must be exterminated!" The captain had lost himself.