HBWnovel Chapter 202 Portrait Painting
Chapter 202 Portrait Painting
In the fourth year, a list appeared in the captain's diary, outlining the supplies that the Terror had taken on this voyage.
Having acquired the technology to extract whale blubber, they plan to catch more whales this time before returning.
The list detailed the supplies they were carrying, including various kinds of smoked meat, brewed liquor, tobacco, and candy and chocolate.
The contents inside were basically the same as those carried on this voyage.
"...So they're not planning to return immediately?" Wen Yuan asked, looking at the supplies list.
The list also stated that the supplies in the warehouse were enough for them to sail at sea for half a year. Now that they have almost the same supplies in their warehouse, it doesn't look like they're just going to catch a few whales and then head back home.
“I saw a stove and an iron pot down in the cabin,” Qin Ke said. “It smelled terrible there, so I didn’t stay long before I left.”
It appears that after the first voyage, the Terror added equipment for extracting whale blubber.
Yan Xun had never heard Ke Lun mention it before, and since the other party said they would be returning soon, he assumed that their ship did not have such equipment.
They probably felt that going to the Sea of Evil was not easy, so they wanted to capture as many whales as possible. Of course, the captain's main purpose in extending the voyage was to get closer to the ice wall and obtain the blue gold.
'We saw red dolphins.'
'This is not good news. After the deaths of three crew members, we have spotted three new red dolphins.'
The crew said it was the evil spirits of the dead crew members, and that they would capsize our ship.
In the following days, the Terror apparently encountered a storm, but fortunately, the ship had an experienced captain and whale talkers, and they soon reached calm waters.
'We have arrived at seas we have never been before.'
"There are many whales here... The lookout can see the water column in the distance, we're going to be rich!"
There are more red dolphins now.
Yan Xun looked at the voyage log. There was a period of time when there were no entries. He wondered if it was because they were busy hunting whales.
About half a month later, the captain started taking notes again.
'They're possessed by evil spirits.'
'Those whales want to kill us.'
'I can feel him watching me.'
'He's gone mad.'
'If I can't find that thing, I'll die.'
The subsequent content was soaked in water, and the handwriting became blurred and illegible.
Judging by the time, it should be nearing the end of the fourth voyage. Yan Xun quickly flipped to the last page of the diary—
Forgive me, I had to do it.
He kept staring at me.
"Who exactly is this 'him'?" Wen Yuanzheng asked, looking at the person who kept appearing in the diary. "The person in the portrait?"
The only person the captain was so wary of was clearly this legendary sponsor.
Yan Xun closed the diary and put it back in its original place.
He looked up at the portrait in the captain's cabin, which remained exactly as they had seen it at the beginning.
It's unclear what the captain was afraid of.
They then searched for clues in the captain's cabin, but unfortunately found nothing of value... When they heard familiar footsteps and coughs, the three pretended to be cleaning diligently.
The one-eyed captain entered the captain's cabin.
He sat back down in his chair, drinking his wine with a heavy heart.
Seeing the three new crew members come in to clean, he waved them off, signaling them to hurry up and get out of there.
Yan Xun and the other two left obediently.
After leaving the captain's cabin, Wen Yuanzheng wanted to discuss the captain's diary with Yan Xun, as well as whether Coron had lied about the actual time they set sail. However, he noticed that Yan Xun seemed a little absent-minded, as if he was thinking about something.
Looking at Qin Ke again, he lost the desire to discuss the matter and reluctantly shut up.
"You said..." Yan Xun finally spoke, "What is he repenting for?"
At the end of the captain's diary from his fourth voyage, he wrote "Forgive me," which didn't seem like a confession to any specific person, but rather as if he had done something wrong.
Yan Xun knew that the other party had always wanted to find Blue Gold... so what did he do during the fourth voyage?
“Something was watching him.”
"Didn't he say that the Whale Speaker was an informant?" Wen Yuanzheng said matter-of-factly. "It must be that the Whale Speaker is monitoring him to prevent him from sneaking away."
"That big shot must have promised him some benefits to get the captain to risk his life to find things for him."
Wen Yuanzheng was unable to read the words on the letter, so he did not know that the captain was a pirate. He simply assumed that the important man was willing to share the secret medicine of immortality, Blue Gold.
Yan Xun didn't speak, but Qin Ke, who was next to him, spoke up.
"Could it be that important person boarded the ship?" he guessed cautiously, seemingly afraid to voice his opinion.
“Impossible,” Wen Yuanzheng immediately retorted. “Those nobles wouldn’t go on whaling ships; they’re dirty and dangerous.”
"He's definitely waiting for the captain to find him the treasure, rather than going out to sea himself."
“I have a simple verification method,” Yan Xun said.
"What?" Wen Yuanzheng was somewhat interested.
"Just ask the captain."
As he was about to turn and go back to the captain's cabin, Wen Yuan, who had jumped up in fright, grabbed him, saying, "Are you crazy!"
Wen Yuanzheng lowered his voice and said, "We read the diary secretly!"
He made a "shh" gesture, "How can we let the captain know about this?"
As he spoke, he looked at Qin Ke beside him and said, "You tell us about him too."
Qin Ke blinked, looked at Wen Yuanzheng, then at Yan Xun who was being held by Wen Yuanzheng, and smiled shyly, "I think what he said makes sense."
Wen Yuanzheng: "?"
Ignoring Wen Yuanzheng, Yan Xun headed towards the captain's cabin.
Wen Yuan was desperately trying to hold onto Yan Xun, but found he couldn't hold on at all—
Wait, what's wrong with this guy? He looks so thin and frail, how come he's as strong as an ox??
Yan Xun dragged the large pendant behind him and knocked on the captain's cabin door again.
"Come in."
"That's what the captain said."
Wen Yuan was about to cover Yan Xun's mouth when Qin Ke grabbed his hand.
He turned around.
Qin Ke smiled and said, "I think we should listen to what Yan Xun has to say."
Wen Yuan tried to break free, but found that he couldn't.
He could only watch helplessly as Yan Xun stepped one foot into the captain's cabin.
With Wen Yuanzheng's mind filled with thoughts of utter ruin, he heard Yan Xun speak up, "Captain, would you like us to wipe the portrait in your room?"
The captain looked up from rolling his cigarette and asked Yan Xun, "A portrait?"
Yan Xun blinked, his gaze falling on the portrait in the captain's cabin.
"Yes, the portrait in your room..."
"Above is a gentleman holding a scepter. Is he your friend...?"
Before Yan Xun could finish speaking, he was interrupted by the captain's sudden movement of standing up.
The captain said to Yan Xun with a grim expression.
"I've never hung any portraits in my room!"