Under the continuous acceleration of Freya’s Legendary magic, Betty and Lin Gui took turns at the controls.
They kept the steel creation moving at an astonishing speed across the Black Reef Sea, never stopping for a moment.
Whenever it was Lin Gui’s turn to operate the train, he would take every opportunity to ask the scholar Eli for various kinds of knowledge.
Unlike the rigid records found in books, this widely traveled scholar possessed a depth of learning that impressed Lin Gui in every field.
Perhaps as a reward for Lin Gui’s selfless guidance of Betty, the scholar answered almost every question Lin Gui posed.
Their discussions were incredibly broad.
From how to identify dangerous territories when exploring a Golden Route to the immense threats lurking within the approaching Silent Sea.
And from the customs and local conditions of their destination, Shield City, to the distribution of various factions there.
Lin Gui hungered for so much knowledge that he spent most of his scheduled rest time in the lead carriage.
He sat side-by-side with the scholar, engaging in deep conversation.
This left Theia, who had intended to start her "romance quest," feeling utterly dejected.
The tricks she had worked so hard to learn from her novels didn't even get a chance to be deployed.
Forget deploying them—she didn't even get a chance to squeeze in next to Lin Gui to sleep.
And during the few times he did return to the carriage, Lin Gui would always corner Eve, insisting on hearing the real reason why she had proactively sought him out in the Royal Capital.
Faced with Lin Gui’s persistent questioning, Eve finally chose to reveal everything.
She even included that cruel prophecy.
That she was destined to die at Lin Gui’s hands.
Lin Gui asked if there was any possibility of changing it.
Eve smiled faintly and said she had performed three Divine Prophecy spells and ninety-eight Minor Prophecy spells.
The results were always the same.
After learning all this, Lin Gui remained silent for a long time.
He didn't even question the authenticity of the prophecy, nor did he ask why he would kill Eve.
Because Lin Gui understood in his heart that as long as he continued down his path, a day would come when Eve would stand in his way.
Because she was Eve, but she was also the Holy Saintess of the Holy Church of Light—a Saintess firmly controlled by the Church.
And the reason Eve had proactively approached her future "murderer" was purely out of intense curiosity.
She desperately wanted to know exactly what kind of person Lin Gui was.
So she sought him out and joined this journey toward an uncertain future.
As for why she was frequently proactive and intimate with Lin Gui—a man she had, in reality, only met a few times—it was because she admired, worshipped, and perhaps had even fallen in love at first sight.
Whether it was the her who would be killed by him in the future, or the her of the present who saw the future through Divine Prophecy, it was all the same.
From the moment she witnessed him trampling the supreme god's statue underfoot, and from the moment she witnessed him pulling the supreme Pope down from his throne, this man had already left an unforgettable mark on her puppet-like life.
The train continued its flight over the Black Reef Sea for four days.
Eventually, it came to a slow halt on a small island formed from piles of black reefs.
Surprisingly, many strangely styled buildings stood upon this little island.
Low, rough stone houses were clearly the work of goblins. They had haphazardly embedded coral and shells into the walls, and stinging black smoke rose from crooked chimneys.
Other buildings were full of sea folk characteristics. These were spiral towers constructed from mother-of-pearl, their surfaces covered in dripping seaweed, and their windows made of thin, transparent fish bladders that shimmered with an eerie iridescence in the sunlight.
The two vastly different styles were crowded together, forming a scene that was both bizarre and harmonious.
Behind the island, the Silent Sea lay quietly before them.
It was a stark contrast to the surging waves of the Black Reef Sea. Once past that clear boundary, the surface of the sea became suddenly deathly still, with not even a ripple to be seen.
The seawater was as black as thick ink; even at high noon with the sun directly overhead, not a single ray of light could penetrate it.
Even more unsettling was that in the depths of the Silent Sea, a thick mist obscured everything, making it impossible to see what was hidden within.
It was terrifyingly quiet there, as if even sound were swallowed by that darkness.
According to the scholar Eli, this small island standing at the junction of the Silent Sea and the Black Reef Sea was called "Twin Reefs."
Goblins and sea folk, two seemingly unrelated races, lived together on the island.
As for why the goblins—who were regarded as monsters in the Golden Age—would cross the vast ocean to settle here, it was quite simple.
"They were all forced here by demons."
The scholar sighed softly and pointed toward the busy green figures.
"There are simply too many demons on the land. Even these former 'monsters' now have no choice but to flee to places far away from them."
"Naturally, the City-State Alliance and other powers would never take them in."
"Left with no other way, they could only cross the sea and settle on this small island."
"There is no threat from land demons here, and the demons in the sea have little interest in coming ashore."
"As for why the sea folk chose this place, it's purely because it's on the edge of the Silent Sea—a place where even the savage demons of the Black Reef Sea do not dare to tread lightly."
The train came to a steady stop on a flat area of the island paved with various colored stones.
The area of this clearing was nearly identical to the footprint of the train, clearly prepared specifically for the North Wind caravan.
As soon as the train touched down, it was surrounded by a group of green-skinned goblins wearing ragged clothes.
However, in stark contrast to the stereotypical image of pillaging and plundering, these goblins behaved exceptionally... civilized.
They didn't scramble or shout; they simply queued up quietly and waited silently for the train doors to open.
There was no pushing, no yelling, and even very little whispering amongst themselves.
After a leading Goblin Hero spoke a few words in a low voice with Freya, the unloading work began in an orderly fashion.
One by one, the goblins began moving the supplies from the carriages indicated by Freya.
Their movements were skilled and efficient, as if they had repeated this process countless times.
Occasionally, a goblin would stumble while carrying a heavy load, and a companion nearby would immediately step forward to help.
Throughout the entire process, there was almost no unnecessary noise beyond essential communication.
This scene of perfect order left Lin Gui and the others, who were here for the first time, dumbstruck.
"Are you surprised?"
The scholar saw their astonished expressions and gave a slight smile.
"The goblins living here learned the importance of order long ago."
"After all, in this sea area filled with hidden dangers, chaos means death."
Theia leaned against the carriage window, watching the orderly goblins outside, and couldn't help but mutter in a small voice, "This is completely different from what the stories say..."
Eve also nodded gently, her dark-brown eyes shimmering with thoughtful light.
Even Lin Gui, who was usually well-versed in the world, had to admit that this island and its inhabitants were overturning his previous perceptions.
The members of the North Wind caravan began to step off the train, preparing to spend a night on this unique island.
They had brought urgently needed supplies for the goblins and sea folk on the island, mainly various seeds, grain, and basic medicinal items.
Scholar Eli explained to a curiously staring Theia, "These supplies serve as both the fee for our rest here and the fee for crossing the forbidden zone of the Silent Sea tomorrow."
Theia blinked, looking even more confused. "Do we have to buy a 'ticket' to enter the Silent Sea too?"
The scholar laughed upon hearing this and adjusted his glasses. "It's not a crossing fee, but a guide fee."
He pointed toward the sea folk waiting quietly in the distance.
"Without their guidance, anyone who tries to cross the Silent Sea will eventually... be trapped inside forever."
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