As darkness completely enveloped the skies, the Force 7 gales at sea showed no signs of abating. The Man-Eating Shark, originally intending to head to the pirate harbor Iron Anchor Bay for repairs, dared not risk capsizing by continuing its voyage through the night. Instead, guided by the veteran captain Salman, it docked at a secluded island far from normal shipping routes, successfully anchoring in a sheltered harbor using the spare anchor from its lower hold.
Bloody Eye gave Byron no further chance to show off. Instead, he demonstrated his own above-average navigational skills to the crew, ensuring they knew that, in addition to his formidable combat prowess, he was also an excellent pirate captain. Byron, for his part, was careful not to steal Salman's thunder.
In fact, as an outstanding graduate of the Royal Naval Academy and a core member of the Kingdom of Hightins's royal family, his mind was a trove of Hightins's most precious nautical charts. He knew of many secret supply points, oceanic routes, pirate havens, and rare mineral deposits. This knowledge put him at least a decade ahead of lower-tier adventurers and ordinary private explorers. Such invaluable information was currently his sole fortune, and he eagerly awaited the opportunities to capitalize on it as he progressed.
Indeed, after becoming the acting navigator, Byron gained access to the captain's quarters, allowing him to view nautical charts and use the compass, chronometer, and sextant. Of course, if a Lighthouse Sequence Navigator were on board, none of these instruments would be necessary. They themselves were the most powerful human navigation systems, incapable of getting lost at sea.
"Heave! One, two! One, two!..."
A group of pirates maneuvered several small boats, hauling a massive fishing net from the sea. Fish, still thrashing vigorously, and crustaceans gathered from the island were quickly processed and sent to the Man-Eating Shark's galley.
GURGLE, GURGLE...
In the large cauldron, milky, thick fish soup bubbled. The freshest fish, combined with carefully selected spices, transformed the once-ordinary ingredients into something spectacular.
Byron, now fully in character and wearing a chef's hat, tasted a spoonful of the delectable fish soup and nodded in satisfaction. Not bad. Although the spices from the two worlds differ, thanks to the Sailing Logbook's ability to peer into secrets, the reproduction is at least ninety percent accurate. This pot... this purine-rich soup is definitely up to par! Later, I can find some bamboo to make a few steamers. A steamer's thermal efficiency is much higher than an oven's or a cooking pot's. It can cook the most food with the least fuel, making it ideal for use on a sailing ship. Steaming can also preserve the most delicate flavors of high-quality ingredients, enough to make even the pickiest gourmands unable to resist.
After his Spirituality awakened, Byron's sensory perception and bodily control had risen sharply, his practical skills practically maxed out. Relying on the various gourmet recipes he had once seen and tasted, posing as a star chef was a breeze. Even a fraction of his culinary skill could overwhelm this entire culinary wasteland!
Soon, using the pirates' catch from near the island and the ship's stores, Byron had prepared three dishes and a soup. He arranged the choicest portions on several silver platters, lifted them on a large wooden tray, and prepared to personally deliver them to his 'most beloved' captain. The two pirates assisting in the galley also carried out all the remaining food. The uniquely tempting aroma elicited a roar of cheers from the already famished pirates. At this point, they would have devoured even damp, maggot-ridden sea biscuits with gusto, let alone such carefully prepared delicacies.
Byron took the initiative to knock on the door to the captain's quarters, located on the top level of the sterncastle.
"Come in!"
He heard a voice tinged with distinct impatience. To prevent any hint of his wicked intentions from showing, Byron wiped all expression from his face, entering like a meticulous nobleman's butler.
The spacious captain's quarters, high in the sterncastle and far from the damp sea air and salt spray, offered far better conditions than the lower cabins. It had bright windows and red velvet curtains. Shiny brass and silver items, locked treasure chests, and weapon racks displayed a variety of fine melee weapons and firearms, all glinting coldly. The air also carried a sweet fragrance—a mixture of honey, maple syrup, and cane sugar—clearly indicating the captain was an avid dessert lover.
Bloody Eye Salman, having changed into fresh clothes and resumed his gentlemanly demeanor, was seated at his desk. However, under the somewhat dim light of the whale oil lamp, the teakwood desk held not nautical charts, but a rather strange book. On the open page, a short passage of Common Tongue was written in some kind of vivid red lettering:
—Porpoise Pudding. Add porpoise blood and fat, oatmeal, salt, pepper, and ginger. Mix the ingredients thoroughly, stuff into a porpoise intestine, and simmer until tender and soft, but not too firm. Then remove, roast lightly, and serve.
Clearly, this was a recipe. However, the 'pudding' in this recipe was vastly different from any pudding Byron knew. It was more akin to what he understood as... blood sausage: meat, animal blood, and other ingredients stuffed into an intestine and cooked. Moreover, he had never even heard of, let alone seen, a recipe so crude. Could you believe it? A recipe that doesn't even use vague measurements like 'a pinch'?!
However, Byron, with his solid foundation in Extraordinary Knowledge and mastery of various esoteric scripts, sensed something hidden within the book's intricate decorative page borders. Just as the strong desire to decipher secrets, fueled by his Sailing Logbook, urged him to take a closer look,
SNAP!
Bloody Eye Salman casually closed the book and set it aside. This also allowed Byron to see the book's title: Bloody Mary's Gourmet Cookbook.
For some reason, the sight of those yellowed pages and crimson script inexplicably made Byron think of charred human skin, melted fat, and flowing blood. An equally terrifying and intense craving followed! He genuinely felt as though those things would be delicious. A regular chef, at this point, would likely have been unable to control their inner urge to reach out and touch it. Byron, however, suddenly shuddered as he realized what it was.
This is... forbidden knowledge!
Humans were merely beings who had risen from dust; they had never been the masters of the Supernatural World. Each ascension of Spirituality was an 'overstep' in Rank, bearing unpredictable risks.
In the understanding of Transcendents, the entire world was pervaded by a violent, chaotic Source Tide, full of unknown dangers. Beyond the seemingly placid known human world, an unknown number of dark creatures, Fallen Ones, Evil Spirits, and even the most sinister and bizarre anomalies lurked.
The Silver Law, created by the Creator, had as one of its fundamental functions to act as a psychic bulwark, safeguarding the entire human race. It connected the Spirituality of all humans throughout history. Within its seven-tiered Law Network, ranging from shallow to deep, resided all the history, knowledge, and even the ineffable experiences of the human race.
Most of this Extraordinary Knowledge and these transcendent abilities, passed down through ages, were far from glamorous; their powers were typically ordinary, passive ones. For instance: [Weather Intuition], [Vast Memory], [Longsword Mastery], [Poison Recognition], [Mountain Goat Steps], [Transcendent Endurance]... The highest principle they adhered to was: Stability! Stability! Stability! From the first step on the Ladder of Glory, the endpoint was clear. As long as individuals pursued the same profession, the transcendent abilities they acquired after each promotion in Class were virtually indistinguishable.
The advantage was that all this knowledge and these abilities had been tested over hundreds, even thousands, of years. They would never cause users to suffer inexplicable side effects. Moreover, merely by accessing the corresponding tier of the Law Network, one could master the relevant professional knowledge in an extremely short time. No additional study was needed to become a top expert in one's field.
But forbidden knowledge, however, was different. Dangerous, mysterious, and powerful, it allowed any Transcendent, regardless of profession, to acquire extraordinary, unconventional abilities outside their normal Sequence through study. Yet it was never accepted by bastions of order like the Silver Law. The Church even denounced it as the Devil's knowledge—Black Sorcery! Not only was it strictly forbidden, but its practitioners were also relentlessly hunted and killed.
Just then, the Decryption Rate for [Hidden: Salman's Unspeakable Secret] jumped from 40% to 66%. Clearly, while Byron was plotting to serve his 'gourmet dish,' Salman was already preparing to strike first!