CH32

On the vast deck, only Helag and Dino remained. The sound of waves crashing against the ship was rhythmic and almost sleep-inducing.

Helag sat cross-legged, meditating seriously. He didn't know how much time had passed when Deep Blue suddenly alerted him that someone was approaching.

He opened his eyes to find Dino standing in front of him, watching him.

Dino spoke, "Your mental strength is very stable, and your magic quality is excellent. It shows you're practicing your meditation technique well."

"Thank you for the compliment, Mr. Dino," Helag said, standing up.

Dino seemed particularly interested today. He turned and leaned against the railing, saying, "Your step-by-step, grounded approach to cultivation is the best. Don't rush for quick results. Look at Fegar; his mental strength is high but extremely unstable. This kind of power gained through extreme means will eventually backfire."

"Thank you for the advice, Mr. Dino," Helag said humbly.

"Is your meditation technique related to the stars?" Dino asked, pointing to the sky.

"Yes, it is."

Dino nodded, "I can tell. Such meditation techniques are usually not simple. Keep up the good work, young man!"

***

In the following days, Helag continued to meditate on the deck, often asking Dino questions, which Dino answered generously.

After getting to know him better, Helag learned that Dino had been at sea for over eighty years.

This was the sixth ship he had been on; the previous five had been destroyed by various accidents.

On every trip to the Karag Continent, he brought wizard apprentices. Over the years, accidents have occurred, sometimes resulting in the complete annihilation of the apprentices on board. The sea was full of unknowns, and no one knew when an accident might happen.

***

Half a month later, they were only a month away from the Karag Continent.

Helag sat at the bow, enjoying the sea breeze.

"Something's wrong," Dino said, sniffing the sea air with a frown.

"What's wrong?" Helag asked, seeing Dino's serious expression and feeling a bad premonition.

The night sky, once filled with stars, suddenly became overcast. Not only that but the ship was also enveloped in a gray fog, reducing visibility to almost zero.

"Stop the ship!" Dino ordered, and the ship slowly came to a halt.

Helag, following his memory, groped his way to the bow and saw Dino holding a compass-like device.

"Mr. Dino, what's going on?"

Dino sighed, "We've encountered the Lost Sea Fog. There's no telling when it will dissipate."

"Lost Sea Fog?"

Dino explained, "The Lost Sea Fog is a rare phenomenon at sea. Once a ship is enveloped in it, it loses its direction. The space within the fog is chaotic. If the ship sails recklessly, it might end up in unknown places, with severe consequences."

"So, what do we do?" Helag asked.

"Wait!" Dino said helplessly. "The Lost Sea Fog will dissipate on its own, but no one knows when. Some last for a few days, others for decades…"

"Decades…" Helag understood the predicament.

No ship could carry enough fresh water and food to last decades.

After the ship stopped, the others in the cabin noticed the anomaly and rushed to the deck.

Dino briefly explained the situation, and the wizard apprentices became anxious. The sailors, however, seemed indifferent, seeing Dino as a god who could handle anything.

Three days later, the gray fog still hadn't lifted.

Dino remained cautious, continuing to observe.

***

Five days later, the fog still enveloped the sea.

The mood on the ship began to change, with many becoming restless.

In the past two days, there had been several conflicts among the wizard apprentices, with one apprentice severely injured by Fegar.

If Dino hadn't intervened, the conflicts might have escalated.

For safety, Helag and Lilian stayed together to avoid being alone and vulnerable.

The fog not only blocked vision but also dulled senses and made magic harder to use.

Helag and Lilian shared a cramped cabin, and they were unable to sleep, so they meditated instead.

Helag discovered that even in the fog, he could sense the stars and navigate.

He told Dino about this, but Dino, for safety, decided to wait a bit longer.

Navigating in the fog was dangerous, even if they knew the direction.

The fog distorted space, making the east turn to the west in an instant. Waiting for the fog to dissipate was the safest option.

Half a month later.

The ship's atmosphere became tense. The prolonged fog made everyone feel oppressed and increasingly irritable.

The fog showed no signs of lifting, and Dino came to the fourth level.

"Helag, come with me. We'll try sailing today. Staying here any longer might cause problems," Dino said seriously.

Helag nodded, "Alright. Lilian, come with me."

He couldn't leave Lilian alone on the fourth level; it was too dangerous. The fog blocked visibility, making it hard to detect danger in time.

Helag and Lilian had maintained a good state, talking and joking to pass the time, making it less unbearable.

Others were alone, stuck in their rooms, surrounded by the unknown fog, under immense mental pressure, hard to bear even for wizard apprentices.

The three went to the captain's cabin. Helag sensed the stars and pointed to the northwest.

Dino nodded and started the ship, keeping the speed slow to handle any sudden situations.

Helag focused on sensing the stars, constantly checking their direction.

"The direction has changed. Northwest is now that way," Helag said, pointing to the left.

Dino silently adjusted the ship's course.

After sailing for hours in the fog, the surroundings suddenly brightened.

Helag opened his eyes and saw they had reached a normal sea area.

Looking back, the fog was gone.

"Well done!" Dino praised, patting Helag's shoulder.

Helag sat down, relieved.

In the fog, directions changed constantly, requiring him to stay highly focused. Now, he felt exhausted.

Dino immediately took out a map and a compass-like positioning tool, then said, "We're still where we first encountered the Lost Sea Fog. Luckily, we didn't end up somewhere strange."