Mystery: I Married the Queen of Mystery.

Chapter 256 The Strange Ghost Ship
After setting sail, Odysseus took advantage of the time to go to the bathroom to enter the "Wilderness of Knowledge" and looked at the captain's hat given to him by Bernadette.

This is truly a magical item with only one ability: to make the wearer luckier occasionally.

The negative effect is almost non-existent: the wearer will feel very cool wearing this hat, so he likes to wear this captain's hat very much.

Odysseus thought about it and realized that it was no wonder that he put on the hat unconsciously after getting it.

Even if I wear formal clothes, which doesn't match the temperament of this hat, I still think it should look good.

Then Odysseus recalled that Eliezer had seen this hat more than once, and he obviously recognized it as the hat that Bernadette had worn.

When tricking him onto the boat, he was able to keep this "hot-tempered old man" calm and not take action immediately. This was the good luck that the hat brought to Odysseus.

He glanced at the hat in his hand again, but unfortunately this kind of luck was a passive skill that the wearer could not control.

However, when Odysseus learns of this ability, his spirit will sense when he is about to become lucky.

At noon, Odysseus encountered another thing he had not expected before setting out: no one knew how to cook.

Basil and Rupert always went to the restaurant when they were hungry; there was a chef on board.

The sailors were not very good at cooking, and finally Odysseus discovered that he might be the best cook on the ship.

But he can't bake bread!

After thinking about it, he decided to make pancakes.

After more than an hour of hard work, they finally prepared meals for eight or nine people. The crew members looked at the pancakes for a while, but did not dare to question them.

They put the food in their mouths with great determination and found that it tasted quite good.

After dinner, the navigator trainee went to clean up the kitchen. Odysseus drank tea in the dining room and sighed, "We need to find a chef as soon as possible."

Or buy a cookbook.

In the afternoon, Odysseus asked Bazel to be on duty in the cockpit, and he took Rupert to continue assembling the new "extraordinary puppet".

Because I had a helper, it was very quick and I could assemble one in about an hour.

About three o'clock Odysseus heard that an island had been spotted on the horizon.

He thought about it and realized that it must be Bernadette's arrangement to let him reach an island after sailing for a while so that he would not feel uncomfortable in the vast ocean.

So Odysseus ordered the "Extraordinary Puppet" to adjust its course and head towards the island.

Odysseus and Rupert worked all afternoon, and at around five o'clock, they arrived at the first island where the "Argo" docked.

The island is not big, and its port is only the size of a small town. It is a "pirate island".

It’s not that the island is full of pirates, but the island’s port welcomes pirates.

There are many such islands in the waters around the main shipping routes. Because there are no decent resources, countries will not build barracks or station navies on such islands.

As a result, some islands with excellent ports were occupied by pirates and carried out simple development.

Many bankrupts who came to the sea in search of opportunities would settle on such islands, and gradually a small town was formed.

As a result, many pirates transformed themselves into mayors, sheriffs and the like. As long as they expressed their obedience to the management of the governor's office of each country, they could continue to serve as mayors and sheriffs here with peace of mind.

The main source of financial income for these small islands is to host pirates and help them sell their stolen goods.

After Odysseus's ship began to enter the port, many people saluted the "Argo".

Because on the mast of this ship is hanging the flag of "Dawn of the Elements".

The ships of the "Four Kings" rarely dock at such small islands, and even the captains have their own bases.

After dropping anchor, Odysseus left Rupert on guard on the ship and told the sailors to move around freely and purchase some furniture such as bunk beds and desks.

The money used to purchase furniture can be reimbursed by the captain.

Because the two "student dormitories" were still empty, if there were no beds, they would have to sleep on the floor tonight.

Odysseus and Balzers were the first to step onto the dock, and immediately someone came up to them to solicit customers, saying that their hotel had good accommodations and beautiful street girls.

Bazel was already accustomed to this. After consulting Captain Gar, he raised his hand and said, "We want to try some local delicacies."

The hotel owners stepped back in disappointment, and several restaurant owners came forward and began to introduce their signature dishes.

Odysseus thought to himself, I suddenly felt like I had just left the train station.

The two of them went to a restaurant near the pier and tasted the fruit roast chicken recommended by the owner. It tasted really good.

It has the fresh aroma of chicken and the sweetness of fruit.

After dinner, Basil went back to replace Rupert, while Odysseus went for a walk through the streets of the port.

Compared to Bayam, the streets of this port were narrower and filled with streetwalkers soliciting business. For most families on this island, streetwalkers were an important source of income.

Odysseus had heard before in Bayam's bar that mothers and daughters often worked together to solicit business. Their husbands, fathers, and brothers were generally supportive and would take the initiative to leave the house and go for a walk when they received business.

There are also some street girls who charge extremely cheap prices, only two or three pennies, but they don’t have a place to receive customers, so they need to “complete the transaction” in the alleys of the streets.

Odysseus is going to the bar today to inquire about the situation on the island and has no time to take care of the business of these street girls.

After arriving at the bar, Odysseus ordered a beer and tipped the bartender: "Who should I go to if I want to buy something special?"

He wanted to see if he could buy the "Star Crystal".

The bartender collected the tip and asked, "Do you want to buy guns? Slaves? Naval intelligence?"

Odysseus probably understood that this port was too small and there probably wasn't any trading of extraordinary materials. "No, let's talk about something else."

The bartender, who received the tip, told Odysseus where to sell the stolen goods, where to buy clean water and high-quality rum, where the streetwalkers were more beautiful, and where there were casinos.

Generally speaking, pirates come ashore to do the following things: sell stolen goods, make purchases, find streetwalkers, and then go gamble or have a few drinks.

Odysseus chatted with the drinkers for a while and got a general idea of the situation in the port.

As he had learned before, the earliest inhabitants here were pirates and bankrupts.

Because compared to the northern continent, at least people here won't be hungry or cold. First of all, the wild fruits on the island can solve the food problem for a large number of people.

Moreover, the land reclaimed here belongs to the reclaimer, and the houses built belong to the builder, and no taxes are required.

So as long as you work hard enough, you won’t starve.

Pirates would be more well-behaved on such islands. Except for a few desperate pirates, most pirates were bankrupts or were so poor that they had no choice but to look for opportunities on the sea.

Although the pirate profession can make them irritable and prone to fighting to solve problems, a peaceful life is still very attractive to them.

At the same time, the pirate leader also knew very well that only by making the majority of people abide by the law could the population of the island grow and it would be easier for them to obtain wealth.

So in a place like this where the navy and the people of Loen don't bother to care, it's actually the pirates who are truly maintaining justice and basic fairness.

Odysseus gained a new understanding of pirates: they were a complex group. While some pirates enjoyed killing and robbing, most pirates were just trying to survive. So once they had a place to live, they would spontaneously re-establish the order of civilized society.

After drinking two glasses of beer, Odysseus returned to the ship and continued to look at the navigation students who were assembling bunk beds, and then continued to assemble the "Extraordinary Puppet".

On the first night at sea, after writing down the first day's log and the situation of the first island he landed on, Odysseus suffered from insomnia and had to "meditate" to fall asleep.

The next day, Odysseus officially embarked on his voyage. After all, it was Bernadette who chose the place for him to dock the ship yesterday.

When the "Argo" set out to sea again, it meant that the voyage that truly belonged to Odysseus had begun.

The first batch of "extraordinary puppets" had been assembled, and Odysseus chatted with the crew in the lounge on the deck, mainly listening to what others said.

Yi Laizhe doesn't talk much normally, but when there are students present, he goes into lecture mode.

Odysseus sat leisurely beside him and listened. After listening for a while, he realized that some safe passages were only relatively safe. The Raging Sea would not become peaceful just because Emperor Roselle had designated safe passages.

That part of the sea often presents a strange sight, with clear skies, storms, and blizzards appearing simultaneously in view.

Odysseus thought to himself, this sounds a lot like the weather on the Grand Line.

The difference is that Captain Luffy's navigator is a beautiful woman, while his own navigator is an old man with a white beard.

While Odysseus was lost in thought, Yilaizhe's lecture suddenly stopped. He looked out the window at the sea ahead and said, "There's a storm ahead."

Odysseus looked ahead and saw some white clouds, but they seemed harmless.

At this time, Yilaizhe said to Odysseus: "Captain, since this ship is not powered by sails, you should retract the sails as soon as possible."

In these respects, Odysseus was quite obedient and immediately ordered the "Extraordinary Puppet" to fold the sails and secure the ropes.

At this time, Yi Laizhe began to explain to the students the precursors of a storm. Before he finished, the clouds in front gradually became darker and the wind became stronger.

The entire transformation process took less than ten minutes.

As lightning and thunder appeared, heavy rain began to fall from the sky.

Suddenly, the wind became stronger, and the waves shook the Argo, making Odysseus feel that both he and the ship had become very small.

Yi Laizhe re-determined the direction and continued to teach his students, not taking it seriously at all.

However, Odysseus and his students were gradually attracted by the doomsday scene outside.

At this time, the waves were as high as a hill. When driving in the low-lying areas, it seemed as if you would be "buried alive" by the sea water around you.

But when the ship reaches a high place, it feels very exciting.

Odysseus simply came to the cockpit, replacing Rupert on duty, and admired the surging sea from the best view on the entire ship.

The storm lasted until after five in the afternoon, when the sea gradually calmed down. The heavy rain stopped after nightfall, but there was still some sea breeze and a thin layer of mist.

Yi Laizhe observed the situation on the deck for a while, then went to the cockpit and said to Odysseus, "This fog is a little unusual. We need to be more alert tonight."

Odysseus pondered for a moment and immediately understood: "Yes, there was such a strong wind just now, but there is fog here, which is indeed a bit abnormal.

"Well, I'll be on duty for the first half of the night, and I'll let the first mate, who has experience at sea, take charge for the second half."

If it is on land, it is normal for fog to appear after it rains, but on the sea, when there is still wind and no cold air, it is a bit abnormal.

By midnight, the fog was getting thicker and thicker, and Odysseus taught the first mate how to sound the alarm and how to use the searchlight.

In fact, it is very simple, just command the "extraordinary puppets" to perform corresponding operations.

After the handover, Odysseus returned to his bedroom and read for a while before lying down to rest.

Before going to bed, Odysseus thought that he should make use of those navigator apprentices, otherwise he and the first mate and second mate would have to be on duty for eight hours a day, which is almost the same as working in a factory.

As he was thinking, Odysseus fell asleep.

Woo~
The shrill alarm woke Odysseus up. Before he could wake up, he jumped up and put on his pants. Then, holding his waist bag, he put on his shirt and quickly went to the cockpit.

Bazel in the cockpit handed the telescope to Odysseus and pointed in a direction while reporting: "Captain, there is a ghost ship."

Odysseus picked up the telescope and with the help of the searchlight, he quickly found the shadow of a ship in the thick fog.

At this time, Basel, Yi Laizhe, and the navigator's apprentices arrived at the cockpit one after another.

They were first attracted by the searchlight outside that was emitting a beam of light, and then they were a little curious why the first mate sounded the alarm?

As Odysseus watched, he asked, "How do you know for sure it's a ghost ship?"

"I gave them the signal 'Beware and Give Way'," Bazel explained, "and their response was: Requesting port entry.

“I used lantern language to ask them which port they were returning to, and their response was: Apply for entry into the port.

"I told them this is a free passage and we are a ship, not a lighthouse, so there is no need to apply. Their response was: apply to enter the port."

He paused and continued, "I've encountered similar situations before. Generally, ships that give irrelevant answers or give strange answers usually have problems.

"Considering the fog today, I suspect it's a ghost ship."

"That's a reasonable guess," said Yi Laizhe, who was more experienced. "But I suggest we stop shining the light on it. If it doesn't appear in front of us again, we should just pretend we didn't see it."

Odysseus nodded and immediately ordered the "Extraordinary Puppet" operator on the side of the cockpit to change the searchlight's spotlight to low beam.

Then he asked Yi Laizhe: "Is there a high probability that the ghost ship will be dangerous?"

"To be precise, there is definitely danger," Yi Laizhe explained, "but the intensity of the danger is different."

He organized his words and explained, "Generally speaking, there are two types of ghost ships. One is the 'man-made ghost ship.' It is said that in the southern continent, people prayed to the god of death to create ghost ships.

"But after the death of the Hades Emperor, this method was lost. However, many of those 'man-made ghost ships' from the Fourth Epoch still sail across the vast ocean.

"Another type of 'ghost ship' is formed due to various extraordinary factors. This type of ghost ship can be roughly divided into two categories. One type is a ship that is willing to cooperate with the crew. Most ships with crews now belong to this category.

"There's another type that's unwilling to cooperate with humans. They'll occasionally appear and harvest all the lives they encounter.

"No matter which one we encounter, it's better to avoid it." Odysseus nodded, and did not use the "Spirit Wave Cannon" to greet the other party. Instead, he ordered no one to go to the deck or go to sleep for the time being, and to stay on standby in the lounge and the entertainment room below the deck.

However, everyone basically chose to wait for the results in the cockpit. Odysseus sat in the captain's seat, quietly looking at the fog ahead.

At this moment, he suddenly realized the difference between encountering enemies at sea and on land. The sea is too vast, and there is no place to stay except on the ship. When encountering problems, you have to choose to predict and then wait for the results.

This requires relatively accurate predictions, otherwise the results will definitely be very unfavorable to you.

This process is not like on land, where there are more options for advance or retreat.

Suddenly, a light appeared in front, and then a huge monster appeared in sight.

Odysseus immediately ordered the Extraordinary Puppet: "Open the machine gun safety and prepare the 'Soul-Destroying Cannon'!"

The "Argo" has a machine gun at the bow and stern. In addition, Odysseus has made some improvements to the weapon system, making the weapons on the "Argo" more diverse.

The "Soul-Destroying Cannon" is very effective against undead creatures. Of course, it is also effective against normal creatures and can destroy or attack spirits, but it is more effective against undead creatures.

Yi Laizhe advised, “It’s best not to take the initiative to attack.

"Generally speaking, the power of a ghost ship is limited in range. Only those on or around the ghost ship will be affected by its power."

Odysseus nodded: "Open the shield and continue forward."

The two ships gradually approached each other, and then sailed in different directions with some distance between them.

With the help of the searchlight, Odysseus saw that it was a large sea ship that looked very damaged.

No one knew what kind of power propelled this ship. The sails had become pieces of rags, but its speed was still about the same as that of the Argo.

On that ship, there were no ghosts, no singing skeletons, just empty space with nothing in it.

But lights were on in the bow and cabins, as if all the sailors had returned to the cabins to rest.

The two sides just passed each other quietly, as if no one saw each other.

Just after they passed each other, the cockpit door suddenly opened. Navigation student Ansiel said in surprise, "Fili and Renata are gone."

They were two female navigation trainees. Everyone in the cockpit was stunned. Odysseus was the first to react: "When did they disappear?"

"Just now!" Ansel said, "We were sitting there chatting, and suddenly he disappeared from our sight."

Odysseus and others hurried to the deck and looked back. The ghost ship had disappeared in the fog, just like a kidnapper who disappeared without a trace after kidnapping someone.

Odysseus immediately ordered: "Turn the rudder and catch up."

But the next second, he noticed that none of the "Extraordinary Puppets" were moving.

Odysseus then realized that his order was not clear enough: "Go after that large ship!"

The "Extraordinary Puppet" then took immediate action and turned around to give chase.

Odysseus then asked the three apprentice navigators who had followed him onto the deck, "What were you talking about just now?"

Ansiel replied, "Talking about... about the ghost ship."

Odysseus nodded slowly and said, "Don't talk about the ghost ship unless it's in front of us."

The three students nodded immediately with some fear in their eyes.

Before the Argo was halfway around, a wrecked large ship with a light hanging on its bow appeared in front of it. It was the same ship that had just passed by.

Normally, this ship couldn't be there.

This is a ship, not a person. If you want to turn around, just turn around.

If the ship wants to turn around, it has to draw a big circle on the sea surface before it can sail in the other direction.

At this time, the "Argo" was sailing at a speed of 20 knots, which had exceeded the maximum speed of ordinary ships. However, before it had completed one-third of the turning action, a large ship with broken sails had already turned around and appeared in front.

If this weren't an extraordinary world, this alone would be enough to make everyone on the boat scream.

"Return to the cockpit!" Odysseus ordered. "Don't rush. First figure out the situation before taking further action."

He was mainly talking to Yi Laizhe's students. The three young men were already looking for ropes to board the ship.

One student disobeyed Odysseus's order and showed no intention of returning to the cockpit, so Odysseus simply grabbed his collar and kicked him back.

Yi Laizhe did not intervene at all, because when encountering an emergency at sea, one must strictly follow the captain's orders.

Back in the cockpit, the two ships gradually approached each other. Odysseus took a telescope and observed the ship carefully.

From the outside, it looked very quiet, and there was no sign of the two navigation trainees.

As Odysseus watched, he asked Ilezhe, "Navigator, what do you think?"

At this time, the two ships were closest to each other and were slowly moving apart.

"Every ghost ship has different abilities. I still don't understand how this ship takes people..." Yi Laizhe's voice suddenly disappeared.

Odysseus was stunned and turned around suddenly with Basel and others. Yi Laizhe, who had just been behind them, disappeared.

The three students were immediately shocked, holding their heads and screaming like three frightened groundhogs.

Odysseus ignored them and quickly came to the deck, watching the ghost ship disappear into the fog: "Stop turning around and move forward."

Ansiel, who had followed him out, asked, "Are you going to abandon our teacher?"

Odysseus said coldly: "That ship will appear in front of us again."

Odysseus looked at the fog before him and asked Basil and Rupert, "What do you think?"

Bazel said, "Every time it gets close to us, it takes one or two people away. But I wonder if there's any pattern to the order in which it takes them away?"

The first time was with two female students, and the second time was with Yi Laizhe.

Should we take the navigator first? Or should we take the women first, and then the elderly?

Odysseus opened his waist bag and checked the scrolls. After returning from Takal, the scrolls had been replenished.

At present, he seems to have "fear of insufficient firepower" and will not feel at ease until all the spaces in his wallet are filled.

After checking the scroll, Odysseus said, "I'm going to go aboard and take a look. You stay on board and stay alert."

The reason why he wanted to go alone was that some people might be caught and taken aboard the ghost ship, so it would be better to leave more people on the "Argo".

The first and second mates had no objections. They also knew that if they wanted to get out of here, they had to go to the ghost ship to find out what was going on.

Otherwise, it is very likely that the crew members will be captured one by one, which is actually more dangerous.

Odysseus had already set up the "Extraordinary Puppet" so that as long as he was not on the ship, it would obey the orders of the first mate, and if the first mate was not on the ship, it would obey the orders of the second mate.

Just as Odysseus expected, the "ghost ship" soon appeared before people again.

Odysseus took out the "Hand of Judgment" but did not put it on immediately.

After checking his equipment again, he used a "flying scroll" and flew towards the ghost ship.

As soon as he flew over the dark sea, the cold sea breeze blew, making Odysseus's hair stand on end. He had to muster up his courage again before he could move forward.

Looking at the ship lights swaying in the wind, the ship looked like a huge monster, waiting for Odysseus to come to the door.

Odysseus landed carefully on the deck, his feet making a creaking sound on the wooden floor.

The only sound on the deck was the wind blowing the tattered sails, a gentle "whooshing" sound that sounded creepy even in such an environment, as if some terrifying being was adjusting its clothes.

Odysseus threw out a "Sun Scroll", illuminating the entire ship, and the cold current rising from the feet disappeared instantly.

With the help of the scorching sun, Odysseus pushed open the door of the cabin. There was an orange light inside the door, swaying slightly.

It should be a place like a restaurant. There were more than a dozen mummies sitting around a table. There were plates and rotten food on the table, as if they had died suddenly while eating.

There were also two mummies in the kitchen, and they seemed to be busy when they were alive.

Odysseus frowned. It was difficult to form mummies at sea, but he didn't expect to see so many mummies in one room.

The key point is that the lights here are still on, which gives Odysseus an illusion that these mummies, either lying down or lying on their backs, will invite him to eat in the next second.

dong dong dong~
At this moment, there was a sudden knocking sound from downstairs.

Odysseus was shocked and got the "Explosive Scroll" in his hand.

He hurried to check the mummies again, and when he saw no changes, Odysseus went to the stairs to check.

The stairs were dark and I couldn't see what was below.

After taking another look at the mummies, Odysseus carefully went down the stairs.

The stairs are a bit old and make a creaking sound when you step on them.

When they came below deck, the corridor was pitch black and even colder. Odysseus felt like he had walked into an ice cave.

dong dong dong~
The knocking sound rang out again. Odysseus slowly approached and confirmed that the knocking sound came from a room with a closed door.

He put one hand on his briefcase and opened the door with the other.

Hula~
Odysseus stepped back suddenly and saw a dried corpse with long hair hanging from the beam. He seemed to have committed suicide by hanging.

Because Odysseus opened the door too violently, a gust of wind blew, causing the corpse to sway, making it look like it was dancing a strange dance.

There was no light in the room, but Odysseus could see the scene inside clearly.

The knocking sound just now was obviously unlikely to have been made by this mummy.

Inside the room, there were three other mummies, all huddled in a corner.

In one of the corners, Odysseus saw Fili and Renata, the two female navigation trainees, covering their mouths tightly.

Odysseus was about to step forward to ask, but suddenly noticed that the two students were trembling with fear at the sudden opening of the door, but they still tried hard to cover their mouths.

Odysseus understood this and pinched a little powder to create a small flame.

This is "Fire Magic". After being promoted to Sequence 6, the "Fire Magic" burns longer.

Only then did he enter the room so that Fili and Renata could see him clearly.

The two female navigation trainees breathed a sigh of relief after seeing that it was the captain.

But they seemed to suddenly remember something and quickly pointed to the wall beside them.

Odysseus saw two big words written on the wall: Don't make any sound, otherwise they will come alive.

Don't stay in a room with lights on all the time, or you will become like them.

These words seemed to be written in blood, and looked hideous and terrifying under the light of the fire.

At this time, the flame in Odysseus's hand disappeared, and Fili immediately turned on the lighter in her hand. In the room with four mummies, a little light made them feel at ease.

Odysseus probably understood and thought that they had come to this room together, and after seeing the words on the wall with a lighter, they did not dare to go out.

But in order to give a signal to the rescuers, he knocked on the wall "dong dong dong".

Odysseus took out a "spiritual light tube" that he had prepared in advance, turned on the switch, and handed it to the two ladies.

The structure of this "spiritual tube" is very simple. Inside is the crystal discovered by Odysseus that can store spiritual energy.

A piece of crystal the size of a palm can achieve the lighting effect of a lantern.

Odysseus placed it in a cylinder and used a glass mirror at the front to focus the light, so it can be used as an ordinary flashlight.

The bright light made the two ladies feel more at ease, and Odysseus gestured for them to follow him.

They hurried to catch up.

Odysseus took another look at the room. The mummies inside should have been waiting for rescue when they were alive, but in the end they got nothing and died in fear on the ship.

It is also possible that when they first arrived on the ship, there were still quite a few people, but they must have spoken, which alarmed something on the ship and killed many of them.

Then they stayed in the room with lights for a while, and as a result, many people died. In the end, they could only hide in this room and died in despair.

Squeak! Squeak!
Not far ahead, there was suddenly the sound of someone going up the stairs.

Odysseus thought it was Ilezhe, but when he saw that the other party was wearing a captain's hat, he realized that something might be wrong.

Fili, holding the "halo tube", shone it over there and saw the face of a mummy, with shriveled eyes, a collapsed nose, and a mouth with bared teeth.

(End of this chapter)