Chapter 1241
Chapter 1241 - 1227: Life
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8 min read
In the boundless expanse of the ocean, a Steel Ship was moving slowly forward.
In the azure sky, there occasionally appeared some clouds and seagulls passing by, and the oncoming sea breeze carried the scent of summer.
The winter in Mercury 42 was short, and most of the planet’s regions had a subtropical climate similar to Earth’s. Furthermore, the average elevation was relatively low due to certain reasons, so unless one climbed to an absurdly high place, there was no snow to be seen.
The streamlined, oval-shaped hull extended from the stern to the massive steam whistle in the middle section. The "limbs" of the large wheels rotated slowly, spewing out copious amounts of steam while the whistle’s sound rose into the air.
"Woo woo woo!"
The surrounding sea area trembled slightly, and the birds and schools of fish that were too close were startled away.
Although the Giant Beast seemed to move slowly, considering its size, it was probably an extremely fast Ship.
And if one were far enough away or high enough, they could see that this "whale" looked more like a Sea Beast than a Ship.
Below the shallow waves, a vague shadow moved slowly...
"Mr. Lu, Mr. Lu...."
On such a large ship, the emptiness was frightening.
There was no one to be found on the deck large enough to host wedding banquets, the hollow engine room resounded only with the roar of machinery and the turning of gears, and even though there were lights on the control bridge amid the darkness, not a single person could be found.
On the Ship meant for at least a hundred crew members, not one could be found. As individuals favored by fate who boarded the Ship, Dahl and his party felt unsettled and even fearful.
"...Mr. Lu, lunch is ready. Won’t you have a bit?"
At the very top of the ship, on the lookout tower that seemed to pierce into the heavens, a man seemed to hear the calling from below.
"Burp... cough, no need, I’m just enjoying the Sun..."
To the fishermen and refugees, Lu Ping’an waved his hand without the desire to go down, after all...
"This cake, isn’t it a bit too sweet...."
He stood alone at the tip of the tower, hogging all to himself, his mouth greasy from the food.
The new Ship had joined Lu’s fleet, and as "Life" itself, it actually did not need a crew. The others naturally went into the manor... For many people, time equates to progress, and the manor could even purchase time, so staying outside was not cost-effective.
The pitiful BOSS was left to work alone outside, but he happened upon some seaward drifters in distress and casually rescued them aboard.
It wasn’t that Lu Ping’an was unwilling to share food with these refugees; it’s just that some things (the manor) are better known by fewer people. If word got out, it would truly be a problem... He stored some provisions in the Ship’s hold, and along with their catch of fish, it already made for a lavish meal in this era.
"...It’s definitely better than the food they make. How can they relish that stuff..."
The fisherman could not see him clearly, but he could clearly see below... Lu Ping’an watched the refugees joyfully sharing fish soup and canned meat, and he felt increasingly odd.
He ate with them for a couple of meals at the beginning... Fish soup without seasoning, without salt, not even deodorized, Lu Ping’an didn’t spit out the first mouthful, which was already quite polite.
They took some broken rice from the storeroom, cooked it into rice soup, matched with the stinky fish head mush; this was a feast that made them overjoyed, but the local master truly couldn’t get accustomed to it.
"Is this the spirit of this era..."
Their exchange with him also surprised Lu Ping’an.
Their way of life was unchanged from before... In the literal sense, their village was slightly better than a medieval feudal fishing village, yet limited. Once they left the big city, they could hardly feel the changes of time.
"A big fish came ashore, so we ran away..."
The reason why they became refugees was so plain and simple that Lu Ping’an found it hard to comprehend.
Lu Ping’an initially thought it was some great monster. Upon inquiry, he learned it was just a Crocodile-shaped sea beast about six or seven meters long.
"Without extraordinary Abilities, without hard armor, and even without strong aggressiveness, it might have simply viewed the fishing village as a beach for sunbathing..."
Such a creature would be ignored by Lu Ping’an if it happened to pass by him, yet if it appeared in a normal village, it could cause the entire population, big and small, to abandon everything and flee, turning the whole ethnicity into refugees.
"I’ll go back and have a look after some time..."
"If we’re lucky, we might still be able to return..."
The ocean is full of unknown dangers, but if a sea beast makes it into one’s homeland, it’s a known nightmare.
Based on experience, after a few months, that sea beast might return to the sea because it can’t find food.
That thing... a mere "snack" in the eyes of a professional, is an unstoppable natural disaster in the life of an ordinary mortal.
"I just happen to be passing by, I’ll take care of it for you."
Lu Ping’an said casually, slightly altering his course, yet he received sincere gratitude from the other party.
They probably realize that it’s not normal for someone like Lu to be crossing the sea alone... But the weaker have their own survival wisdom, and digging too deep is just looking for trouble.
It’s also lucky to happen upon a generous and friendly strongman; of course, their quick trust in Lu Ping’an is largely thanks to his "human" identity.
"Humans, for the most part, are good people..."
"The mentor is said to be a human..."
Such simple beliefs left Lu Ping’an unsure how to react.
And hearing the name of the mentor made him feel ambivalent... After communicating with the local "new recruits," Lu Ping’an also learned who exactly that mentor was.
"....It was written by Lulu, she and some of your other apprentices wrote it together, and also included some views and stories from others in the group, but at least ninety percent of it came from words you once said."
Lu Ping’an intended to ask who "Lulu" was, but the name was so famous that it was almost pointless to do so, though the source of the name was quite intriguing.
"Lulu. Lu, the 313 Lulu...?"
Slaves born without a surname often borrow from their masters, who in Eastern culture are almost as close as fathers, so it’s normal to use it.
But now that Lulu. Lu had become the One-Eyed Marshal of the Salvation Army, a banner of the Savior, it made Lu Ping’an feel ambivalent... It was like he had a child he didn’t look after, and before he knew it, the child was accomplished, and he was the neglectful father unsure how to respond.
Still, they probably did something good. The existence and widespread circulation of "The Mentor Says" did, in some sense, enlighten the masses.
Without addressing the hollow and banal theories for now, it at least provided an additional possibility, a way of life completely different from the current world, a potential peaceful world that many locals aspired to... On another level, this added points to the human ethnic group.
Of course, if the humans here didn’t act properly, those "good feelings" would have vanished long ago. Since goodwill is still widespread, those who remained must have done a fairly good job... at least they haven’t committed any massacres.
Those who are friendly tend to receive friendship in return and are often willing to reciprocate with kindness. Since it was a task easily done, Lu Ping’an took the initiative to do it.
However, upon actually arriving at that part of the sea, things unfolded completely differently...
"....Servants of the Octopus Tribe?"
The stench was so intense it could be sensed from a great distance. The old dwellings were ablaze. The octopus servants disdain "land" life, adhering to their ancient maritime lineage.
Consequently, in the areas they control, even casual fires by "lower beings" are a crime...
Those extraordinary sea beasts surrounding the area, and the beast swarms they rode, were their trademarks.
"How could there be members of the Octopus Tribe?"
Lu Ping’an’s question went unanswered, as the faces of those disaster victims showed only confusion and despair.
If it were a sea beast, it might leave one day, but if it were the Octopus... becoming food or cannon fodder, there really was no difference in the end.
In a way, the sea beast had saved them, for if they hadn’t left early, their fate would certainly not have been good.
"Could you give us another lift?"
The fishers pleaded numbly, hoping to make use of the large ship to get far away.
And in their desperate, numb eyes, the man stood lightly upon the deck and then fell, leaving behind only a sentence.
"I will keep my promise and return your homeland to you."
— End of Chapter 1241 —