Chapter 599 - 519: Uninvited Guest

Chapter 599: Chapter 519: Uninvited Guest

The dead silence didn’t last long.

A low, suppressed murmur of astonishment and sharp intakes of breath rippled through the hall, like an undercurrent flowing beneath a sheet of ice.

This wasn’t admiration for a beautiful creation, but a complex emotion blending apprehension, disbelief, and a fascination with danger.

"A Mind Flayer’s ship..."

A hoarse voice drifted from a Shadow, laden with the weight of confirmation.

"How could one of their creations... end up out here?"

"A Shell Ship... It definitely has their style—those lines, that enclosed feel..."

A whisper came from another direction, the voice laced with a scholar’s caution and an imperceptible hint of tension.

"The texture of the carapace and the arrangement of the Runes match the scattered accounts in ancient texts, but these repair marks..."

The speaker seemed to shake their head.

"Crude. Far too crude. It doesn’t fit the obsessively meticulous style of those octopus-heads."

"Could it be a relic from some... conflict? Or was it acquired through Plundering?"

Someone speculated, but their tone lacked conviction.

"To wrest a ship from those monsters, or even to scavenge their wreckage... that in itself is extraordinary."

"I would advise you all to be cautious..."

A more aged voice offered a cautious reminder, its volume dropping even lower.

"Mind Flayer creations are often bound to their disgusting Spiritual Energy network. Who knows what sort of ’gift’ remains inside this iron hull? It may look like a ship, but it could be a trap, or... a beacon."

"But its value is undeniable."

A calmer, more avaricious voice interjected.

"Setting the risks aside, the value of studying its structure, Runes, and especially any residual Spiritual Energy technology... is incalculable. That’s not even mentioning its unique capabilities as a vehicle."

The hushed conversation was extremely restrained, suppressed by an almost instinctual caution, as if the mere mention of that name would draw unwanted attention.

The participants were clearly aware of "Heartstealers" or "Mind Flayers." They knew them as a mysterious and dangerous ancient Race that dwelled deep within the Dark Nether Realm, manipulating minds.

However, their knowledge likely came from terrifying rumors, fragmentary ancient records, or disastrously costly encounters.

It was this mixture of half-knowledge—a blend of fear of unknown Power and a thirst for forbidden lore—that made the atmosphere all the more strange and taut.

On the stage, the gray figure’s ethereal, silver-white eyes calmly swept across the hall, seemingly unsurprised by the crowd’s reaction.

The cold voice that echoed directly in their minds sounded again, now with an added hint of detached, matter-of-fact narration.

"As you can see, this is a standard-issue Shell Ship. It has been confirmed to share the same technological origins as the Mind Flayer race."

"The main hull structure is intact. The basic power and levitation systems have been tested and are independently operational. The exterior armor shows non-standard damage and signs of subsequent emergency repairs. The source is unknown."

"There are no residual life signs inside and no active Spiritual Energy readings. All movable objects and potential information storage devices have been removed."

He paused briefly, as if to emphasize the next piece of information.

"Addendum: this vessel was recovered forty-seven days ago in the waters near the northwestern edge of the Broken Star Sea. It was found ownerless and inert. It is now being disposed of in accordance with the discoverer’s rights and the code of the Dark Moon. The starting bid..."

The cold voice announced an astronomical figure and listed several exceedingly rare equivalents.

"Or an equivalent value in concentrated Spiritual Energy Crystals, High Tier knowledge receptacles concerning the Outer Realm or the Deep Realm, a Magic Contract for undisputed territory, or the core of a ’Mechanical Marvel’-class construct certified by three or more Great Mages."

On the light screen, the Rune to commence the bidding began to glow faintly.

But now, even that light seemed to carry a chill from deep beneath the earth.

The entire Dark Moon Hall fell into an even deeper silence.

Countless eyes stared at the levitating gray vessel, as if assessing a peerless weapon of destruction, or a Pandora’s Box holding infinite secrets and risks.

’It’s definitely Duraga’s Shell Ship...’

Although the Shell Ships of the Heartstealer race were largely identical in appearance, as a "passenger" who had lived and fought alongside it, Roland was all too familiar with the one that belonged to Duraga.

The subtle, non-standard curves of the exterior armor, and a faint, almost imperceptible scratch near the port side of the bow.

There was also a unique, subtle mark near the stern’s propulsion array, shaped like the Gray Dwarf Rune for "sturdy"...

He knew every one of these details like the back of his hand.

The gray construct levitating over the auction block in this unfamiliar era was, without a doubt, Duraga’s ship.

’But...’

Phaethon’s words echoed in his mind.

’Those with whom you are deeply bonded and entwined by fate will be sent back with you...’

’Did that include this Shell Ship, which wasn’t a living being but was intimately connected to Duraga?’

’Or perhaps...’

Another memory fragment suddenly surfaced.

The Heartstealer captive whom Duraga had captured and who eventually provided crucial information.

According to the captive, the Shell Ship it was piloting had crash-landed on this plane for repairs after an unknown attack, and was subsequently buried deep underground by a violent geological shift.

The time it spent buried likely far exceeded a thousand years.

A theory couldn’t help but surface.

’Could it be that this ship before me already belonged to this point in time—the "past"?’

’Was it the very same ship that was lost here in a much more ancient era, only to be unearthed and repaired by Duraga later?’

’No... that’s not right...’

The moment the thought arose, Roland swiftly dismissed it.