Deep Sea Embers

Chapter 191 “Alternate History”

After listening to the messy description of this embarrassing puppet, Duncan widened his eyes in astonishment.

“Disappeared? Just disappeared out of thin air before your eyes?” Duncan stared at Alice dumbfoundedly. Then shifting his gaze onto the rowboat that had just been hoisted up, he saw the ropes still left from the Enders just lying there on the plank.

“That’s right! They were gone all at once! Not even a sound!” Alice gestured to Duncan about her bizarre experience, “The moment the sun’s light hit them, they disappeared as if they never existed…”

“The moment the sun shines on them…” Duncan frowned. He had imagined countless ways for those Enders to escape or resist, but he didn’t expect the other party to disappear out of thin air, which made many of his preparations useless. “I can understand them even if they jump into the sea. At least they are soluble in water, but how are they able to dissolve in sunlight…? Could it be related to the sun? Does the sun’s exorcising ability make it impossible for them to survive in the real world?”

“I don’t know,” Alice righteously states with her head held high.

“I wasn’t asking you,” Duncan glanced at the doll, “then what happened before they disappeared? What did they all say? Or did they do some weird ritual?”

“They… just kept chanting weird stuff about subspace, the promised land, the destined reincarnation of the last rebirth or something.” Alice rubbed her head before abruptly recalling another detail, “They said ‘another day’ is over?”

Duncan’s brows instantly furrowed up into a knot. He hadn’t forgotten what one of the Enders said to him before on the deck – they hid in a cursed history.

He’s had some outrageous theories before, but compared to his own theories, the world’s truth seems to be even more outrageous.

“Captain?” Alice got worried after seeing the expression on Duncan’s face, “Do you have something in mind?”

“It’s nothing,” Duncan shook his head as if talking to himself. “It’s just that I got this crazy idea. What if… those Enders are from a different historical timeline?”

“Different timeline?” Alice was stunned despite having limited brain capacity and knowledge. “What does that mean?”

“…… Don’t ask. It’s hard for me to explain to you clearly with my intelligence,” Duncan glanced at Alice, hesitated for two seconds, and shook his head. “It’s just that I suddenly understood one thing, why the book that Morris gave me said that the Ender Missionaries are the most mysterious cultist in this world and the most difficult to discover and capture… This is so outrageous.”

Hiding in the offshoot branch of history, removing themselves from reality during the day and night cycle. If both points are true, how was one supposed to ever capture these fanatics? One night you could arrest them by setting a trap, the following morning and they’re gone like a phantom.

Is it because they’re followers of subspace? That they can remove themselves from the main timeline? Blessings of subspace…

“Captain, you’re in a daze again…” Alice eyed the captain with a nosy face.

“I’m okay.” Duncan sighed softly and ditched the jumbled thoughts. Brainstorming too early wouldn’t do him any good.

“Did you see the note I gave you?” He said casually to the doll.

“I did!” Alice nodded happily, “I was shocked when I first saw the box. I thought you were telling me not to go back, but then I was relieved when I saw the note… I couldn’t read the words on it though. Good thing you drew some pictures in the back…”

The corners of Duncan’s mouth visibly twitched as his heart cried: “You… really can’t read.”

“That’s right, I can’t read!” Alice was as straightforward as ever, “I have been lying in the box for so many years, it is already good enough that I managed to have some common sense. How am I supposed to recognize words…”

Duncan: “…”

“Captain, what are you thinking?”

“I suddenly had an idea… I wonder if it’s feasible to run a cram school on the Vanished or the antique shop,” Duncan sighed. “Counting you, I already know two illiterate people, and if we count Dog, there are three, enough to form a study group.”

Alice mused over the idea: “What is cram school? What is a study group?”

“…… I’ll explain it later.” Duncan waved his hand, then his expression became slightly more serious, “Let’s talk about the previous ‘test’.” Those three cultists were all fine before they disappeared, right? Including after sending the box over, they were not affected in any way?”

“I think so, their heads were still on their necks.”

Duncan rubbed his chin in thought after getting the confirmation.

Although the characteristics of those Enders are strange, they certainly do not have the strength or “extraordinary resistance” of saints; after all, Shirley can smash three people at once when she swings with Dog as a weapon, which shows that their flesh and blood are also “conventional substances” that can be destroyed. At most, their tolerance to pain is far beyond ordinary people’s.

And now, the three Enders managed to survive Alice’s company. Does this mean her guillotine effect is really gone?

Alice watched the change in Duncan’s face. No matter how slow she was, the doll was still smart enough to know what this implied for her future: “Captain… did my ‘test’ pass? Can you take me to the city-state?”

“The test… Hmm, should have. Although the weird characteristics of those final Enders still make me uneasy, the results though…” Duncan spoke slowly because he was still thinking and deliberating, but he finally nodded, “Alright, the test is fine, your guillotine ability seems to be under control.”

He paused, and before Alice could celebrate, he added: “I will take you to the city-state, but not immediately. This is because you seriously lack an understanding of what humans consider common sense. Also, there are still exposed spots on your body, such as your fingers and wrist joints, the former will need some more, but the latter needs a disguise.”

“Mhmm, I know, I know!” Alice nodded vigorously. She didn’t seem to be frustrated by the difficulties and problems mentioned by Duncan, but rather motivated instead, “Mr. Goathead also told me about this. He said that the human world is very complicated. Even going out to buy a vegetable has a lot of rules. I will work hard and make up for my deficiencies by learning a lot and asking a lot of questions.”

“Don’t ask him!!” Duncan didn’t wait for Alice to finish and cut her off. He’s sweating just merely at the thought of Alice learning from that statue. Who knows what sort of knowledge the goat head might install into this clueless doll if he’s not looking!

“He’s just as bad as you when it comes to common sense. You learning about human society from him? Where’s your brain?”

Alice looked all innocent: “I don’t have one!”

Duncan almost couldn’t breathe at that answer. For the longest time, he couldn’t must the energy to speak: “You… I admit that you are right.”

“Hehe…”

“In short, don’t learn anything from that statue in the future. He can’t teach you anything good.” Duncan sighed at the lack of helping hands aboard the ship. “I’ll put aside some time aside to teach you in the future. I’ll also come up with a plan to disguise your joints. Now that there’s nothing for you to do, let’s cook something up for breakfast.”

“Oooh,” Alice nodded vigorously, but just as she was about to walk away, she seemed to recall something. “So what are you going to do, Captain?”

“I have something to discuss with Goathead,” Duncan tiredly waved his hand, “something that has nothing to do with you.”

Alice nodded and turned in the direction of the kitchen in a good mood. Her steps were brisk and dignified after a whole night of work.

She’s so elegant when she doesn’t open her mouth. Pity her character is so silly… Duncan sighed at the doll’s back.