The captain stood and stared at the convoys driving into the distance, his body rigid and unmoving. Then, for the first time, he let out a long, heavy sigh that seemed to carry all the sadness of the world. After the cars disappeared from view, everyone snapped out of their stupor and walked over to him. He had a solemn expression on his face as he watched the last bit of dust settle. Then he turned to face the rest of the team.
Zuro couldn't hide his curiosity. "Captain, who were those people?" he asked.
The captain lingered for a few seconds before he answered. "People I know... from somewhere. But I can't explain. Please don't ask me again." The captain's expression was so somber that it was a clear warning.
"Uh, sure." Zuro scratched his head, shrugged, and didn't press the issue. No one else wanted to ask either, so a heavy silence fell over the group as they walked into the scavenger camp. Because Grey had been with the captain for so long, the hostile gazes he used to feel had dissipated, and he couldn't feel them anymore.
Zuro and the others went their separate ways, their thoughts consumed by the mysterious encounter. Grey and the captain walked back to their small house in the desolate area. As they entered, the captain went to the kitchen to prepare lunch. Grey followed, but he didn't do anything. He just stood and watched the captain cook. When the food was ready, they ate in silence. But for the first time, the silence was awkward, filled with the weight of unspoken questions. Although Grey was dying to ask, he ruthlessly suppressed his curiosity and focused on the meal. After eating, he quickly washed the plates and went with the captain to patrol the scavenger camp.
Wearing their disguises, they walked casually, as if they had done this a hundred times. They followed their normal route, but Grey still didn't know the reason for these daily strolls. He just followed the captain, his mind a whirlwind of confusion.
A Fateful Observer
Meanwhile, high above the scavenger camp, a beautiful woman held a blue umbrella, her gaze fixed on the ground below. By her side stood the old man, Sir Sebastian, who had just had the tense exchange with the captain. He had a faithful, reverent look on his face as he stood and looked down at the camp as well.
"My lady, what do you think? Should we return to the sect?" the old man said, his voice respectful.
The young lady did not answer at first. The mist from her umbrella blocked a direct view of her face, but you could see the faint outline of her exquisite features. "He truly has changed," she said after a long pause, her voice a soft, beautiful melody. She continued to look down, her focus squarely on the captain and the young boy walking beside him.
"Just as you said. He has truly changed. He now takes responsibility for his actions," she continued, a flicker of raw fury entering her tone. "If only he had this sense of responsibility then, my sister would not be dead, and he would not have been exiled!" Her voice then softened, and she stopped speaking, her fury giving way to a deep, agonizing sadness.
"I will stay and observe him for a while. Don't worry, Sebastian, you can go," she said, her gaze still locked on the captain, who was completely oblivious to her presence.
The old man bowed low. He flew several meters away before he flicked his hand, and a small bottle appeared. The bottle opened, and a huge magical ship, twenty meters long, appeared in the sky. It emitted strong spiritual energy fluctuations and an even stronger sense of divinity. The very air seemed to tremble, and the clouds wanted to part, but the old man simply clenched his hand, and they stayed in place. The ship's masts were half the size of its entire length and were painted a serene sky blue. The old man landed on the deck, and the boat began to sail off into the distance at an astonishing speed. It then turned into a flash of white light and disappeared.
The young lady returned her full attention back to the captain and the young boy. Because all of this happened so high up, no one noticed the disturbance and continued on with their day. Only the captain took a quick glance at the sky before retracting his gaze, as if he had sensed something but couldn't quite place it.
A Glimpse of the Future
When it was evening, the captain and Grey ate dinner, and then Grey washed the plates before going to his room to cultivate. Once more, he sat down on the bare floor and entered a meditative state. As he felt the spiritual energy particles entering his body and fusing into his being, the corrosive substance within him also continued to accumulate, a steady buildup that was both dangerous and a signal of his growing strength.
When morning came, he opened his eyes, and the faint purple lines and light within them disappeared. He let out a long sigh, and a wisp of mist came out from his mouth. 'I will soon break through to the fifth level of Qi Accumulation!' he thought. 'But it's too slow.' He felt his body reaching a breaking point, the familiar feeling of reaching the limit of his current stage. His cultivation had been surprisingly fast. Most people spent months, even years, breaking through a single realm, but he was doing it so quickly that it felt like a dream.
As the sunlight beamed on his skin, he felt a nice warmth. As he went outside and saw the captain once more standing over the scavenger camp like an ancient protector, he felt a strange sense of safety and security. As the sun fully rose over the horizon, the captain coldly stepped down from the air, and his cold expression was gone, replaced by his usual calm demeanor. He then paused and looked at Grey. "Luo is coming here to pick you up. I will not be around, so you will stay with her until I come back."
Grey nodded. The captain nodded curtly in satisfaction, then turned and entered the house to cook breakfast. Before they had even finished eating, Luo had arrived. She spoke with the captain for a few minutes, then he left with her. As Grey looked back at the desolate house that stood alone in the distance, he decided to ask a question. "Miss Luo, why does the captain stay alone?"
Luo seemed to have expected the question. "Because he prefers the silence," she answered simply.
"Is it because of his cultivation?" he asked again.
"I don't know…" she said, and with that, the question and answer session ended.
As they made their way to the inner settlements, some men in the outer settlement gave Luo a look of lust as they eyed her figure. But when they saw her face, their expressions turned to fear, and they quickly looked away. Some even left the area. Luo did not seem concerned, and she continued to walk silently.