Shrouded Seascape

"Miss Grace, Miss Grace? Are you listening to me?"

Hints of annoyance crossed the face of Leonardo, the Minister of Administration of Hope Island, as he stared at the young woman in front of him.

Her flaxen hair was tied up into a ponytail, and her oval face was speckled with freckles. That was the first impression strangers had of her.

Her oversized, azure robes hung loosely on her slender and petite frame, forming a slightly unharmonious image.

But what truly stood out from her appearance were her eyes; they seemed to sparkle endlessly with an inner glint.

Currently, Grace was staring in awe at the desolate landscape outside the train window as she allowed herself to sway with the rhythmic motion of the carriage.

Only when Leonardo had called her name the third time, Grace finally tore her gaze away from the scenery beyond the window and looked at the bespectacled middle-aged man in front of her.

"Sorry, sorry. Even though we've been traveling on this train for so long, I'm still amazed by the technology of the Northern Seas! It's even more magical than magic itself.

"When I get back, I must share my experiences with the others. We don't have anything like this on the islands in the Western Seas."

Leonardo then parted his lips, "You're different from the others. You'll be going aboard the Narwhale, the ship of Governor Charles of Hope Island. I've heard that you are the best among this batch, and I truly hope that's the case."

Grace replied pridefully, "Yes! That's right! Among those of my age in this current batch, I have the greatest magical talent."

The next moment, she rose to her feet. Leaning on the table with her hands, she tiptoed to look eagerly at Leonardo.

"Mr. Leonardo, what kind of person is Governor Charles? Is he really a hero like what the legends in the Subterranean Sea speak of?

"Is it true that he led the entire seascape and came up with this rescue plan? And that he always leads at the forefront of every exploration? He's so cool! Just like the main character in a play!"

Leonardo was taken aback by Grace's words. The propaganda campaign orchestrated by the Explorers Association and all the governors was evidently quite effective. He hadn't expected Charles' fame to have reached such heights. However, such a reputation came with its advantages as well as risks. If he were to die, it could easily demoralize the populace.

But then, Leonardo quickly realized. Even if Charles died, they would never let the people in the Subterranean Sea know. Charles himself had probably agreed to it too. After all, the denizens of the seascape needed a leading figure of faith and courage.

"Now that you've come up to the surface world, you can ignore all those brainwashing messages. Simply put, he's not difficult to deal with. Once you get on his ship, just do whatever he asks of you. Remember your role: you are a weapon. When he needs you to move, you move immediately."

The liveliness in Grace's eyes slowly dissipated. After a moment, a determined gaze suffused her youthful eyes. "Yes, I understand. This is also to save everyone."

As a former con artist, Leonardo wasn't one to easily trust others, but he believed Grace because Governor Anna had already checked her out.

As the Minister of Administration of Hope Island, Leonardo was entitled to certain privileges. The entire train carriage was reserved just for the two of them, while the rest was filled with cargo.

A heavy air of tension hung over the carriage due to the serious conversation earlier. Grace gazed out at the desolate landscape again for a little while before she reached into her cloth bag, pulled out a novel, and started reading with great interest.

The book was titled "Chronicles of the Seascape". It was a super popular adventure novel, and according to reviews from readers, it described a creature called a "dragon".

There had never been any dragons in the Subterranean Sea—only the strange and bizarre creatures in the deep sea.

As she flipped through the pages, a smile spread across Grace's face. She forgot about her fated demise as her laughter echoed through the carriage.

The innocence of a young woman was always beautiful—her heart was like a crystal, clear and pure at a glance.

Yet, such beauty was about to be rudely thrust into the barrel of a gun, loaded like a bullet, and fired with ruthless abandon.

Leonardo felt that Charles was extremely cruel to come up with such an idea; no ordinary person would be capable of formulating such a method.

"Mr. Leonardo, do you want to have a read? The final book of the "Chronicles of the Seascape" has been published. Spoiler alert—it's a happy ending," Grace said as she held up the book with both hands and carefully presented it to Leonardo.

Clink!

The metal lighter snapped open with a yellow flame. Leonardo brought it close to the blue-tipped cigarette between his lips. "No thanks. I don't read that kind of thing," he replied.

Grace let out a series of coughs as she covered her nose and retreated to her seat.

Just then, the carriage door swung open, and a chef dressed in white from head to toe wheeled in a narrow cart laden with food. With practiced ease, he placed various dishes on the table between them.

The main course was mashed potato with salted crackers, while the dishes were fried whale meat, shipworm fruit soup, and a golden roast chicken stuffed with mushrooms.

At the delicious aroma, Grace subconsciously swallowed the saliva pooling in her mouth.

"No need to wait for me. Go ahead and eat first. Let me finish this first," Leonardo said after taking a drag from his cigarette.

"Alright then!" Grace then picked up the knife stuck in the roast chicken and began carving slices onto her plate.

With each bite, a look of sheer enjoyment spread across her face.

"Have you not eaten these in the Western Seas before?" Leonardo asked as he flicked the ash from his cigarette.

Chewing off a mouthful of whale meat, Grace shook her head vigorously. She swallowed the food in her mouth and replied, "No. My family has fallen from riches long ago. Maybe during my grandfather's time, they could have meals like this every day."

"We couldn't eat this then, and it's even more impossible now. All the food in the Western Seas gets shipped to the Northern Sea.

"Everyone's starving now. Everyone is just doing whatever they can to have a meal and survive. May the Eye of Truth bless us, and let this suffering end soon."

Leonardo nodded and turned toward the chef. "How much longer before we reach the border of the darkness?"

"Minister, we'll be reaching in about half an hour," the chef replied with a slight bow.

"Alright, I need to go get ready then," Leonardo remarked, crushing the spent cigarette into the crystal ashtray beside him. With one hand casually tucked inside his pocket, he turned on his heel and left the carriage.

Grace turned to look at the chef in the white hat before happily continuing with her meal.

The half-hour passed by quickly. Accompanied by a long whistle, the train pulled into the station.

Amid the bustling forklifts transporting cargo, Grace felt a little anxious and trailed after Leonardo and his team as they disembarked.

The moment they exited the bustling train station, they instinctively lifted their head, their eyes drawn to the immense black wall that seemed to stretch endlessly as it towered beside the station.