We agreed to set sail, so you'd become the ruler of the deep sea?

Chapter 288 Speedrun Dungeon? The Real Cause of the Trouble!

Chapter 288 Speedrun Dungeon? The Real Cause of the Trouble!
Inside the cockpit, in front of the steering wheel.

After several attempts to maneuver the ship, Captain Luther turned pale and, his fleshy face trembling, spoke in a shaky voice.

"The steering system is malfunctioning!"

Upon hearing this, Xia En's expression darkened, and he quickly asked, "What happened?"

Luther explained, "It seems there's a problem with the rudder deep inside the cabin; it will take at least two or three hours to repair."

"Two or three hours?"

Xia En's face grew increasingly gloomy. By the time it was repaired, the Diamond Star would probably have already crashed into that iceberg.

At that moment, he suddenly remembered the muffled explosion he had previously ignored.

Looking back now, the timing of that explosion was extremely strange; it happened just before the thick fog dissipated, precisely at the time when the bloodshed occurred inside the driver's cab.

Could it be that the explosion caused the Diamond Star's steering system to malfunction?

The more Xia En thought about it, the more likely it seemed.

Since this group of people of unknown origin intends to drag the Diamond Star into the deep sea, they must have made extremely thorough preparations.

What's inside the cockpit in Fermia is just one of its trump cards.

Now that he knows this "cycle" has failed, Shane decided to relax and try to gather more information before the Diamond Star sinks.

He pointed to Fermia, who had already committed suicide, and asked Luther, "What is the background of this first mate?"

Luther, now completely convinced of Shane's "prophecy," naturally answered all questions honestly and without reservation.

"Fermia was originally just an ordinary sailor on the Diamond Star, but after his first trial voyage, he gained the appreciation of the Lord of Cinder and was promoted to the ship's first mate."

"Before this, Fermia had always behaved very honestly and dutifully fulfilled his duties as first mate, but unexpectedly..."

"Ordinary sailors..."

Shaun's gaze sharpened as he recalled Luther's earlier insult of "commoner," and he asked seriously.

"Are there civilians from various kingdoms in the lower decks?"

Luther was taken aback, not understanding why Prince Shane would suddenly bring this up, but faced with his imposing presence, he quickly nodded.

"Yes, taking in some civilians is also a requirement of the Lord of Cinder."

"Many civilians also took on the work of sailors and general laborers..."

At this point, Luther himself realized what was happening and murmured, "Your Highness Shane, you mean..."

"I am also not certain."

Although Xia En said this, he already considered these civilians as suspects in his heart.

He also noticed that both Fermia and the civilians on the ship seemed to have some connection with the Lord of Cinder.

Just as Xia En was pondering, a cry of surprise came from outside the driver's seat.

"Fog, it's foggy!"

Then, the familiar fog rose again.

The familiar scenario is playing out once again.

Before long, a dazzling white light engulfed Xia En and his companion like a tidal wave...

……

Only this time.

The time spent enveloped in white light seemed rather long.

Xia En opened his eyes in the familiar room, feeling only a groggy mind and a slight sluggishness in his thinking.

"here it is……"

It took Xia En almost half a minute to recall everything that had happened before.

His brows furrowed deeply.

This is clearly a very bad omen.

His earlier guess came true; as the number of "cycles" increased, the influence of this obsessive space on him continued to deepen.

Suddenly, Xia En's heart skipped a beat.

Even he has these symptoms, so Joey...

"...Your Highness?"

Just then, a soft voice came from the large bed.

The girl threw back the covers, stretched lazily, and looked at Xia En with longing, completely disregarding the glimpses of her skin that were exposed.

"Joey?!"

Hearing this title, Xia En felt a chill run down his spine.

In his memory, Joey had never called him in that tone before.

Xia En quickly turned his head to look.

Joey looked radiant, like a flower that had just been nourished, which only made Xia En more worried.

"Joey? What's wrong, Joey?"

“...Joey?”

The girl paused for a moment, then frowned and muttered to herself, "That name sounds so familiar... Is that my name?"

Her expression was extremely conflicted, with a hint of pain showing in her brows, as she kept muttering, "Who am I?"

"Joey...I'm Joey?"

About a minute later, Joey suddenly woke up, and seeing her current state, she couldn't help but gasp and crawl back into bed.

Despite enjoying the beautiful scenery, Xia En was not happy at all.

Joey's behavior shows that she is becoming increasingly assimilated into this space, to the point that she is beginning to forget her original identity and immerse herself in the role she is playing.

Can be imagined.

If Joey couldn't remember his name, he would probably be truly lost in this space.

—This is how pirates who came into contact with ghost ships have always disappeared.

Shane's soul and will have been tempered many times and are now as hard as a rock, so he can persist through more "cycles" and thus serve as an anchor for Joey, helping her to confirm her identity.

But if Xia En begins to doubt his own identity, then the two of them are not far from truly losing their way.

Thinking of this, Xia En's expression turned serious, and he made up his mind.

"It seems we have to resort to some extraordinary measures."

In this cycle.

Instead of going to find Edward or Captain Luther, Shane headed directly to the bridge of the Diamond Star, following the route he remembered.

At this point in time, the muffled explosion had not yet occurred, nor had the bloodshed in the driver's cab taken place.

This means that the Diamond Star still has the possibility of turning around.

The only problem is how to control the Diamond Star.

In response, Xia En already had a bold idea in mind.

Along the way, the crew members were all very surprised to see Shane rushing towards the cockpit and tried to stop him.

Regardless, the rules of the Diamond Princess remain in place.

Even Captain Luther hesitated when faced with Shane's request, let alone the unsuspecting ordinary crew members.

"Sir, what do you want to do!"

"Your Highness Xia En, please stop!"

Amid a gasp of surprise, Shane did not stop for a moment, rushing forward with Joey in tow.

Any sailor who stood in his way was knocked unconscious by a single palm strike.

With Xia En's current strength and body control, he could easily do that.

The fastest way would actually be to fight your way through, but even in this constantly looping space, Shane didn't want to do that.

His figure darted through the shadows at incredible speed. Such reckless and brutal behavior naturally caused a huge uproar on the Diamond Star.

"Enemy attack!!!"

With a long, drawn-out shout, more and more sailors began to rush in that direction.

The proportion of those who follow secret paths is also increasing rapidly.

There are a great many high-level secret cultivators on this [Diamond Star], otherwise they would not be able to confront the fog monsters in the fog head-on.

If they hadn't run into the iceberg hidden in the mist, the mere mist monster probably wouldn't have been able to do anything to them.

In just a short while, Xia En sensed several extremely threatening presences from the auras of those approaching from the vicinity.

Xia En narrowed his eyes and quickened his movements.

What he wanted was merely to temporarily seize control of the Diamond Star, not to become an enemy of everyone on board.

Fortunately, he was not far from the driver's seat at this point.

With a loud bang, Shane slammed open the driver's side door.

Facing the bewildered sailors in the room who had no idea what had happened, he pointed to First Mate Fermi and said.

"Fermia, you've been caught!"

"It's not too late to surrender now."

Fermia: "???"

Even the smartest first mate couldn't have imagined such a turn of events, and he couldn't understand how Xia En had discovered his ulterior motives.

To him, the commotion outside the door earlier was undoubtedly directed at him!
Now that he had been exposed, Fermia simply stopped pretending, sneered, and directly attacked the nearest second mate.

"Fermia, what are you doing!"

"Subdue him!"

Fermia's face twisted in a grimace: "Even if I die, I'll take you all with me!"

Immediately, the two groups began to use their respective methods and engaged in a fierce battle.

Just as the two sides were engaged in a fierce battle, Shane quietly led Joey to the helm of the Diamond Star.

To be honest, Shane was no stranger to this ship's rudder.

Because he had personally touched the Diamond Star, which was projected later, countless times.

However, the ship's rudder in front of them was clearly newer and carried an unfamiliar aura.

Although the domain of the Great Dark Heaven enveloped them, protecting Shane and Joey from the chaos of battle.

But Xia En knew that he didn't have much time left.

Not to mention the several secret travelers who rushed to the cabin, the time between that muffled explosion and the arrival of that person was already very close.

Whether this cycle can be broken may depend on this attempt!

Without further hesitation, Shane gripped the steering wheel tightly.

Upon seeing this, the sailors in the wheelhouse looked at it strangely, and even found it somewhat amusing.

What does this richly dressed young man want to do?
Do you think one person can control the Diamond Star?
Doesn't he even have this much common sense?
For an average captain, simply maneuvering the helm is not enough to make a large ship like the Diamond Star turn quickly.

It also requires the adjustment of the sail angle, and the assistance of angle sails and side sails.

This was a complex task that required the cooperation of many sailors.

Otherwise, why would the Diamond Star have brought so many sailors?
But Xia En is different!
Possessing the majesty of a captain, he can control a ship all by himself!
Of course, Shane's [Captain's Prestige] will not work on unfamiliar ships.

But don't forget, before entering this strange space, Shane was already the owner of the projected [Diamond Star]!

They had already established an inseparable bond!
That's why Xia En made this seemingly absurd attempt.

Of course, Shane was also gambling, betting that the big ship would still see him as its captain!
next moment.

boom! ! !
A deafening roar erupted in my mind.

Shain's will rapidly spread to all parts of the ship, like a surging tsunami, with towering waves sweeping across the surface invisibly.

However, unlike the incredibly smooth feel when piloting the Black Swan.

When making contact with the various components inside the Diamond Starship, Shane could feel significant resistance, like gears that hadn't been lubricated in a long time.

It's as if... they are silently rejecting their own contact.

Even so, after two breaths.

Shaun's will still permeate every corner of the ship.

At this moment, the Diamond Starship seemed to have become an extension of his body.

Even in the deepest, most remote part of the ship, Shane vaguely sensed a sleeping consciousness.

That must be the soul of the Diamond Star!

However, at this moment, Xia En had no time to communicate with the ship's spirit.

The moment he gained control of the ship, he immediately began to turn it around and head in the opposite direction.

The turn was so sudden and rapid that the massive Diamond Star tilted considerably, as if it had drifted at sea.

Fortunately, this ship is, after all, a product of the wisdom of this era.

After a brief tilt, it quickly regained its balance.

However, the passengers on the ship inevitably swayed and staggered, and some even fell to the ground, causing a huge commotion.

The crew members in the cockpit looked at Shane with disbelief.

One person alone was able to make such an incredible turn of the Diamond Star.

Before today, they simply wouldn't have believed such a thing could happen.

Xia En couldn't help but let out a long sigh.

He didn't care about the reactions of the others on board. Since the Diamond Star had deviated from its original trajectory, it should have avoided hitting the iceberg, right?
Soon, the group arrived at the driver's cab first.

The leaders were none other than Edward and Captain Luther.

Edward looked at Shane in surprise: "Your Highness Shane, what happened?"

"Why are you doing this?"

Having just experienced the tense and exciting "speedrun" dungeon, Shane was also a bit tired and too lazy to explain to these NPCs anymore.

But that's it.

boom!
Another muffled, explosive sound came from deep within the ship's cabin.

Upon hearing this voice, Xia En's expression changed drastically as he realized a possibility.

"No way?"

Not long after, a surge of white light came again...

……

After the white light.

It took Xia En even longer to regain his senses from his dazed state.