Chapter 426 - 416: Sailing Carnival 18

Shane Rhodes and the others didn’t doubt Hugh Finch’s words in the slightest.

"Good thing it’s gone. Saves us from being on edge every day," said Caden York.

’It wasn’t that he lacked confidence in himself. But with the people currently on this ship, everyone had their own agenda. If they really ran into trouble, he was certain not a single one of them would be reliable.’

"Right, our mission is to chart a new sea route, and we have three months. So what exactly counts as a successful mission?" Joy Rhodes suddenly asked.

"Does reaching the destination count as success, or do we just have to survive at sea for three months to complete the mission?"

That was a good question.

Charting a new route meant forging and opening a new path. The classic historical example was Columbus discovering the New World.

If it was the latter, the mission would be simple. But if it was the former, did they really have to discover a whole new continent?

It wasn’t that such a mission was impossible, but discovering a new continent in three months’ time? The timeline seemed a bit rushed, and there was a huge element of luck involved.

Moira Lynch saw Joy Rhodes’s worried expression and explained, "We have a specific destination. It’s an undeveloped island. Since it’s never been developed and no one has ever been there, our mission is to scout out a safe route."

The oceans were fraught with peril, and air transport was too expensive. Besides, around here, the sky wasn’t necessarily any safer than the sea.

The Aurelian Clan discovered the island, and according to the laws of the Interstellar Federation, they hold the ownership rights.

But because the island is so far from the coast and that stretch of ocean has never been explored, the Aurelian Clan hired adventurers to chart a new route.

Seeing that everyone was more or less finished eating, Moira Lynch cleared the table, then had Patience project a 3D map onto it.

She pointed to a dock and said, "This is the dock we set out from."

Then she pointed in another direction, where a palm-sized island was displayed. "And this is our destination."

Finally, she pointed to a rather crude-looking freighter in the middle of the ocean. "This is where we are now."

Behind the freighter, a winding, dotted red line marked the route the ship had traveled so far.

"By normal estimates, if the journey from the dock is smooth, it should take about two months to reach the destination. The Aurelian Clan likely set the timeframe at three months to allow for unexpected situations."

When Moira Lynch finished, she found the room completely silent, with everyone’s gaze fixed on her.

At that moment, she realized she had said too much.

She panicked a little internally, but kept her expression impassive.

"Moira, how do you know all this?" Kai York asked.

’The system mission we all received should be the same, right?’

’Or did the system give her special treatment?’

Moira Lynch feigned composure. "This stuff isn’t a secret. You could’ve found out just by asking around at the dock. You guys didn’t ask, did you?"

Having produced this perfect explanation, Moira Lynch immediately turned the tables, questioning them in return.

As she spoke, her eyes held the perfect touch of confusion and shock.

"In a situation like this, you have to be direct. When you need to ask something, you ask. It’s not as if you can’t understand the language here."

Hearing Moira Lynch’s earnest words, the group fell silent.

They really hadn’t thought of that. Their attention had been focused on their equipment at the time; who would have thought to ask about this?

"So, uh, did you find out anything else besides that?" Caden York asked.

Moira Lynch nodded. "Naturally." Then she pointed to the map.

Moira Lynch had Patience apply for this map from the Adventurer’s Guild using their identities, so the markings—including the distribution of marine life and various dangers—were incredibly detailed.

For example, the areas of pirate activity and the locations of coral reefs that could sink a ship were all clear at a glance.

This covered the areas that had already been explored, but a large portion remained uncharted. The conditions there were a mystery; even the Adventurer’s Guild only had theories, nothing confirmed.

"This location we’re about to pass through... it’s suspected there’s a school of Stonefish here, including one over twenty meters long."

"Stonefish?"

The others looked at Moira Lynch, their eyes flashing with confusion and curiosity.

At this, she sighed and resignedly explained, "Stonefish are a type of fish. Their entire bodies are encased in hard minerals, making them incredibly tough. A typical attack can’t break through their defenses."

As she spoke, Moira Lynch tapped the table, and a virtual Stonefish appeared before them.

Its entire body was encased in rock with a metallic sheen, with only a pair of beady black eyes exposed. That was likely the Stonefish’s only weak point.

"Are these fish dangerous?" Kai York asked.

"Stonefish are docile. Because they’re covered in rock, they swim very slowly. They’re the kind of creature that won’t even pay attention to you if you try to provoke it."

After hearing Moira Lynch’s explanation, everyone breathed a sigh of relief—except for Hugh Finch.

"But..." Moira Lynch’s tone suddenly shifted. "Don’t forget, I also said there’s a giant Stonefish over twenty meters long."

"Stonefish may be docile, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t dangerous."

"Stonefish usually live near the surface. To keep the rocks on their bodies clean and tidy, they often look for hard objects to polish them on. Compared to the reefs in the sea, they much prefer passing ships—especially large ones."

"Small Stonefish might not pose a threat to a freighter of this size, but that twenty-meter giant is another matter entirely."

"If it decides to give our freighter a little scratch..."

Moira Lynch didn’t finish her sentence, but everyone knew what she meant.

Shane Rhodes’s expression turned grim. "Then what should we do? Should we notify the captain?"

"We can find a time to mention it. Just leave out the part about a twenty-meter giant. No one would believe it, since the current record for a Stonefish is eight meters. And we might not even encounter it. What I said was all just speculation, after all."

With that, Moira Lynch patted her shoulder reassuringly.

After breakfast, everyone wore a preoccupied expression.

Seeing that everyone’s spirits were low, Hugh Finch pulled out some sodas and passed them around. A sugary treat could always lift one’s mood.