Chapter 486: Omen of Misfortune
This was a giant ship, over six hundred meters in total length. Its hull was a long oval shape, with ten decks in total. The area of each deck decreased slightly from bottom to top, but at the front and back of each deck's interval height, there was a retractable circular platform that could double the original area.
Notably, starting from the fourth deck upward, each deck could rotate and move via the central main shaft, ensuring that every deck could freely enjoy sunlight.
Additionally, the ship had a small accompanying cabin on each side, used for emergency evacuation.
From a distance, the ship looked like a boiled egg laid horizontally with a skylight cut open, perfectly matching the aesthetic of extreme simplicity pursued under technological development.
Xu Huo was Ran Ying's companion. When boarding, the waiter gave him a white bracelet, while Ran Ying received a black one.
"What's the use of this bracelet?"
"It's used to distinguish identities," Ran Ying said. "You're a companion I brought, without a formal invitation, so you get a white bracelet."
"All doors on the ship require the bracelet to open. The white bracelet just can't access the ninth and tenth decks; otherwise, there's no difference."
Xu Huo glanced around and noticed that most people boarding as female or male companions were given white bracelets.
Once the electronic buckle was fastened, a string of numbers flashed across the narrow screen.
"That's the bracelet's serial number," Ran Ying explained. "It's used to count the number of people. Quite a few have boarded already. Let's move forward and check out the rooms first."
They were currently on the fourth deck. With all decks closed, they could use any elevator to go up.
Ran Ying took him to the seventh deck.
"Room 705." Ran Ying opened the door with her bracelet and gestured for him to place his bracelet on the sensor, then authorized it through her own bracelet. "After this, you can use your bracelet to enter and exit this suite. There are two rooms; you can have one to yourself if you want."
She paused there, reached out, and hooked her finger on Xu Huo's collar. "Want to take a shower?"
Xu Huo didn't refuse her gesture and smiled. "Aren't you going to greet acquaintances you've run into?"
Ran Ying raised her sharp eyebrows slightly. "You men sure know how to keep people in suspense."
"I'm on the ship; I'm not going anywhere." Xu Huo walked to the bar and poured her a drink. "A small drink?"
Ran Ying walked over, took the glass from his hand, and downed the drink. Then, while taking off her coat, she headed toward the bathroom. "Wait for me to come back."
Ten minutes later, Ran Ying came out of the bathroom, casually combed her short hair, changed into a men's suit, and said to Xu Huo, "I'm going out. Don't wander around if you have nothing to do. The ship is full of players. If something happens, I might not make it back in time to save you."
"Is there any significance to this trip?" Xu Huo asked from the sofa.
"Just a routine event," Ran Ying said. "It's held once a year. The upper class gets together to exchange pleasantries. It's pretty boring, but I can't skip it. If you find it dull, you can eat something and go watch a show or a concert."
"I don't appreciate such highbrow things." Xu Huo paused. "Any other forms of entertainment?"
"Playing cards or ball games." Ran Ying paused. "You can ask Duke Tal if he's willing to take you. Call the front desk from the room phone, and they'll transfer you."
Before leaving, Ran Ying reminded him again not to wander around until she returned.
Xu Huo verbally agreed, but after contacting Bai Kou via communicator, he left the room and went to the fifth deck.
The first three decks of this ship were underwater and not accessible to non-staff, making the fourth deck the first deck available to guests.
Each deck had restaurants, guest rooms, and places for leisure, but the main entertainment facilities were concentrated on the fifth deck. There were theaters, concert halls, casinos, and meeting halls. Expensive drinks were available everywhere, with dedicated snack chefs providing pastries 24/7. Every place was tastefully arranged and exquisitely decorated, with some even using props with special effects, like mirrors that beautified people, potted plants that automatically bloomed when someone walked by, and musical instruments that played automatically.
Even the inconspicuous corners were hung with masterpieces by famous artists.
However, what caught Xu Huo's attention was the decorative pattern on the walls. It looked somewhat like a type of seaweed. Not only the walls, but the ceilings and the carpet-covered floors were engraved with the same pattern. When he leaned in to smell it, there was a fishy, watery odor.
"What pattern is this?" Someone suddenly spoke beside him. It was a man with long blonde hair, wearing a black robe similar to a Christian priest's cassock. He was asking a passing waiter.
"It's a type of seaweed called Sea Demon," the waiter gestured as he explained. "If you look at just this small piece, it looks like an eye. But if you zoom out a bit, it looks like a strangely shaped ghost hand."
The blonde man clenched his right fist with his thumb pointing up, tapped it twice at chest level, and then said, "I've often heard that when traveling at sea, it's taboo to place items that invite misfortune on a ship. Since this seaweed is so unlucky, why is it engraved all over the ship?"
The waiter maintained a professional demeanor and smiled. "I'm not sure about that. But in the past ten years, this ship has never had any accidents."
The solemn-faced blonde man smiled slightly. "This is just my personal humble opinion. If possible, please convey it to the captain."
"Very well, sir." The waiter bowed and left.
Now only Xu Huo and the blonde man remained in the corridor. He saw the blonde man conjure a book, muttering as he opened it—not for prayer or blessing, but to take out three silver nails, each as long as a palm, and drive them into the wall in a triangular formation.
Noticing his gaze, the blonde man turned around and smiled. "Every misfortune has omens before it happens. It seems I'm not the only one who has sensed this omen."
Xu Huo raised an eyebrow. "Are you a believer?"
The blonde man put away the book and waved his hand. "I wouldn't call myself a believer. I haven't undergone any religious initiation rituals. I just follow the footsteps of religion."
"Belief makes it real. If you believe in a god in your heart, then that god exists, and you don't need others' approval," Xu Huo said.
"Well said." The blonde man came over and shook his hand. "My name is Seline, from Zone 009."
"Xu Zhi, Zone 011." Xu Huo introduced himself and then asked, "Do you think these patterns are problematic?"
Seline said, "This ship is full of props. It's not unusual for decorative patterns to come from props or traits, so it's not really a problem."
He then took a painting from nearby to cover the spot where he had driven the nails, and turned to Xu Huo. "You need to keep this a secret."
"Don't worry." Xu Huo smiled and nodded.
Seline clenched his fist, tapped his chest with his thumb, nodded, and then walked past him.
(Chapter End)