The wind blowing from the sea carried an extremely low temperature and a hint of salt and brine. Li Yue stood on the deck, watching the busy sailors with complex emotions in her eyes as the ship crushed through the ice.
Although the sun still hung high in the sky, it provided not a shred of warmth. The sailors, who were used to working bare-chested, were forced to don the thick coats provided by the family to work in the freezing wind.
Truth be told, as a group of proper pirates, they were well-acquainted with killing and looting. They had handled and sold countless women, but whether it was a noble lady, a beautiful girl with a special bloodline, or even a mermaid glimpsed during a narrow escape, none could compare to the lady standing on the deck in terms of looks.
Yet for some reason, they didn't dare harbor even a spark of desire. They only dared to steal a glance in the wind to feast their eyes, not daring to commit any sacrilege.
Perhaps it was Helen's mental suggestions, or the aura emanating from the divine remains currently repairing themselves within Li Yue, or even just her natural appearance.
She didn't care what she looked like, as long as Clo liked it.
It was a bit boring; maybe she should write her a letter.
She slowly walked back to her room. Out on this vast sea, she seemed to have lost all sense of time, only able to judge the approximate hour by the sun's height and position.
Knock, knock, knock. There was a knock on her door. A sailor brought her a cup of fresh water and a tin of canned food. He didn't say a word, simply placing the items at the door and leaving immediately after seeing Li Yue.
“Do I look that scary?” Li Yue muttered. For some reason, ever since the recent incident, she had lost interest in most foods, especially those that were dried, pickled, or heavily processed.
She had begun to prefer fresh food. Simple grilling or boiling of meat was enough for her to find it delicious.
“Pickiness is a bad habit.” Li Yue looked at the canned food in her hand, unable to muster any interest or appetite. Besides, she didn't seem to be hungry. She placed the can in a corner, thinking she would return it to the storage room later.
Life at sea was truly difficult, and supplies weren't exactly plentiful. It was better to leave it for them. As for her, a single blood crystal could sustain her for a long time; she could go four or five days without eating.
“Life has turned me into someone easy to sustain...” Li Yue sighed, setting the fresh water aside as well. She took out her sheet music and began to study it closely.
On the deck where the cold wind drifted, a sailor ran up excitedly. His expression was ecstatic, and several others gathered around, seemingly having found some great gossip for their lunch break.
“Did you see her face?”
“[Pirate expletive], you bet I did!” The sailor beckoned them closer as they immediately crowded around. “I’m telling you, she’s exquisite!”
“To hell with you, that’s no way to describe someone’s looks. You might as well have said nothing.”
“I can’t put it into words... but now I have no interest in the women I used to know.”
“If you have a wife, don't even look,” a sailor elbowed his colleague. “Lest you lose all interest when you get home.”
“Once we finish this job, I’m going to have a blast!” one sailor shouted. “Damn it. This life is truly unbearable.”
Li Yue played her violin, the sounds of wind and rain failing to reach her ears.
The journey was very smooth. In just a few days, the icebreaker had reached the vicinity of the storm. Next, they had to head to the location provided by Reinhardt. As the Death Abyss gradually awakened, the wind and snow had grown even colder over the past few days, and their sailing speed began to drop significantly.
As time passed, the mental and physical states of the sailors began to plummet. Many started suffering from diarrhea and vomiting, and during several checks, Li Yue discovered that most of them showed symptoms of anemia.
Whether it was the influence of the Death Abyss or not, more and more sailors suffered from insomnia, nightmares, and headaches. Some experienced hallucinations and fell from the deck into the freezing ocean, barely alive when hauled back up, while others had lost their minds entirely, completely losing their ability to work.
Li Yue could also feel the influence of the Death Abyss. Lately, she frequently dreamed of that black sea surface, the hanged man, the broken church, the giant sword, the blood moon... But the sailors mostly had ordinary nightmares that had nothing to do with the imagery of the Death Abyss.
They were all at least apprentices or higher magic users, and experienced sailors to boot. Although the environment was harsh, it shouldn't have had such a massive impact.
The captain was forced to halt the ship at sea for a few days to address the condition of the sailors, and Li Yue readily agreed. She was perfectly fine, having only eaten some fresh fruit, dried fruit, and a fresh fish over the past few days, never touching the canned food.
The captain and the first mate were in relatively good condition, perhaps due to their higher realms and greater resistance to magic, along with their excellent physical fitness. They laughingly told Li Yue that back when they were just sailors, they had eaten spoiled food for a long time and managed to survive by a hair, giving them extreme resistance to substances in food.
Li Yue suddenly remembered that her blood seemed to be quite toxic. Aside from a Great Mage who might be unaffected by a splash, most Mages would still be influenced.
She noticed that the sclera of some sailors was beginning to turn yellow. This didn't seem to align with the abilities of the Death Abyss, as the Death Abyss didn't have the power to poison people.
The storm seemed to be growing more violent, and the ship's food supplies were rapidly dwindling. They could catch almost no fresh fish daily, and the fresh water purification device seemed to have suffered some damage, with minor cracks appearing in some pipes.
Li Yue had stopped consuming food altogether. She could replenish her state just by munching on blood crystals, but not everyone possessed such a heaven-defying constitution.
From her cabin, she could hear the painful wails of the sailors. She couldn't do much; she simply felt that these poor fellows were poisoned, though she didn't know where the toxins were coming from.
At night, she played the serenade written by Roland. Roland's blue-stringed violin seemed to have its uses, adding a touch of magic to the melody. While it couldn't make the pain vanish, it could at least help these poor souls drift into a fitful sleep during the night.
The wind blew fiercely tonight, and the sails had long been stowed. Fortunately, they had dropped anchor early, so the ship barely moved.
However, the temperature had begun to drop sharply again. The special anti-cold uniforms Helen had prepared were finally at a point where they were necessary.
The next morning, Li Yue walked onto the deck. The sight before her was something she would never forget for the rest of her life. The sea around the ship was completely frozen over, and the entire vessel was trapped in the middle of the ice field, unable to budge an inch.
Rate on N.U.
