Steel, Explosives, and Spellcasters-Chapter 946 - 31: The Hunt (Part 2)_3

Chapter 946: Chapter 31: The Hunt (Part 2)_3

“May I ask about taking a boat?” Sitting next to Winters, Pierre pondered and asked, “Isn’t there an ocean on the eastern side of the Sand Sea? Can’t we just take a boat south?”

“Uh…” This question stumped Winters.

After racking his brains, he said embarrassedly, “Sorry, I don’t know either. I also think taking a boat is feasible, but I have no idea why. I’ve never seen any mentions of crossing the Sand Sea by boat in the books. It seems that scholars consider it unfeasible, or perhaps someone has tried and I’m unaware… I really don’t know much about sailing. If ‘Good Fortune’ Gold were here, he might have been able to explain the reason…”

“Batu doesn’t know something?” Koshach burst into laughter, drawing angry glances from the others.

“There’s much more that I don’t know than I do,” Winters admitted his ignorance casually. Yet, for some reason, he also felt a subtle, poignant regret.

“Don’t mind him,” Xial jumped up agitatedly, “What does that barbarian know?”

“If Batu admits he knows little, then am I not even more foolish than a stone on the ground?” Koshach said heartily, “After all, what Batu knows is as plentiful as the stars in the sky.”

Witnessing the brawny barbarian deliver the cheesiest of flattery in the most candid tone left the group with mixed feelings.

Only Little Lion was in stitches, laughing uproarously.

Winters felt a tap on his shoulder and turned to see the impatient face of Father Kaman.

“Here.” Kaman handed Winters a folded piece of paper, shaking his head as he walked away.

Clueless, Winters examined the paper by the light of the fire, his brows immediately relaxing—it was Anna’s delicate handwriting.

Winters cleared his throat and the area around the campfire fell silent.

“I’ve just learned some new knowledge,” Winters announced solemnly to everyone, “The reason we can’t take a boat south across the Sand Sea is that to the east of the Sand Sea lies an ever-present zone of thunderstorms, gales, and terrifying waves.”

The crowd held their breath, the crackling of the wood the only sound.

Winters continued with a smile, “The ocean east of the Inland Sea is known as the [Storm Ocean] due to its harsh conditions, and compared to it, the Storm Ocean is like a gentle gelding—the ocean there is called the [Rage Ocean].

Legend says the Rage Ocean is where the Sea God of the Golden Age perished, and upon his death, he cursed mankind so that mortals could never cross that sea.

There were many Vineta merchant ships that tried to cross the Rage Ocean, but all attempts ended in failure. Most of the ships never returned, and the few that did couldn’t establish a route. On the shores of the Sand Sea, there is a coast named Shipwreck Beach, said to be strewn with the wrecks of doomed vessels.

After the rise of monsoon sailing, the trade focus of the Inland Sea shifted eastward, and people lost interest in the worthless southern routes… This is why the southern routes are rarely mentioned in the books and literature.”

Following Winters’ explanation, a collective exhale could be heard around the campfire.

“So that’s how it is,” Pierre nodded in admiration, “That makes sense. Storms and raging waves… Is the ocean truly that terrifying? It’s a pity I’ve never seen it.”

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“The ocean is a fickle beauty, generally quite gentle though,” Winters said with a nostalgic smile, “Otherwise, how could Sea Blue have come to grace the Inland Sea’s shores?”

Vashka protested loudly, “Centurion, once we stop waging wars, let’s go and brave the so-called Rage Ocean! I don’t believe it—just wind and rain, they can’t scare us Dusacks, can they?”

“What do you know?” Old Sergei raised his hand and smacked his son’s head, “Have you ever been on a sea ship?”

Vashka retorted with his neck stiff, “So, you have?”

“Your old man has, damn right!” Old Sergei smacked his son again, “Back when I and Pierre’s father came to Mountain Front Territory by ship, how many days did we sail, eh? Nearly lost our lives in the sea! It was all vomit and diarrhea, I had to crawl off the ship. Stick to your horse and think less about messing with ships!”

Winters couldn’t help but laugh, and the atmosphere around the small campfire was filled with joviality.

…

Meanwhile

Rage Ocean

The fast sailing ship [Fearless] was cutting through the waves, attempting to cross this sea of death.

The fury’s arrival came without warning:

One moment, the sea was calm;

The next, pea-sized raindrops pounded the hull as the storm followed, revealing the Rage Ocean’s ferocious nature in an instant.

The sky overcast with clouds was illuminated by constant flashes of lightning, the thunder as if tearing the air apart.

Strong winds lifted waves over ten meters high, like towering walls of water, crashing down towards the ship.

All of this seemed as if the dying Sea God was venting his unquenchable resentment and fury.

The sixty-ton Fearless, amid these waves, was like an ant in the hands of a cruel child, tossed high by the waves one moment and slammed down onto the sea next.

Had the ship not been built without sparing any expense, that single blow alone might have split the Fearless in two.

One of the deckhands failed to secure himself, and in a flash, was flung overboard. Not even the safety rope could save his life; instead, it wrapped him under the ship’s keel, subjecting him to a death more agonizing than drowning.