The Divine Armor of the Old Century（Book 1）

Chapter 75

As Edd's death marked the end of a major obstacle for tonight's mission, Eve now faced a far more terrifying entity at the heart of that massive source of corruption. The eerie blackness permeated every inch of her vision. Inside this bizarre lighthouse, there wasn't a single ray of light. Behind them, the door trembled, battered by countless demons hungry for flesh and blood, desperate to break through this final barrier.

Aside from the pounding of the demons on the door, only Eve and Red Falcon's rapid heartbeats filled the oppressive silence. In the dark, their eyes met briefly, both understanding that they could not hold this position. Once the door was breached, they had no means of defense.

It seemed there was only one path left: to step into the eerie darkness and push forward through this dire situation. Compared to dying at the hands of these demons, it was better to try and destroy the mysterious source of corruption, to uncover the truth behind everything.

The thermite rifle cast a faint glow in the darkness, guiding them along the wall without needing many words. They moved with a practiced synchrony and soon found the staircase spiraling upward along the wall. The demons' relentless pounding on the door urged them on. Without further hesitation, Eve and Red Falcon sprinted upward. Darkness gave way to light as they emerged.

Eve was momentarily disoriented. The strong sea breeze brushed against her cheeks, and countless raindrops streaked across her face in the biting cold. The ground beneath her feet shook continuously. Lightning streaked across the night sky, illuminating white sails billowing in the storm.

They were on a ship, a large vessel navigating through a storm. Eve felt an uncanny sense of disorientation. Moments ago, she had been racing up the lighthouse, but now she found herself here. Nothing made sense. Looking ahead, she saw a tall man gripping the helm, unwavering in the face of the tempest, steering the ship into the waves.

It seemed there were only Eve and this strange captain on the ship. Unsure of what was happening, Eve tightened her grip on her gun and cautiously advanced.

"Welcome, beautiful guest," the captain said, his awareness of Eve's presence evident. As she approached, he turned around, revealing eyes that shone beneath his soaked hair.

"Where is this place?" Eve asked. Although she hadn't been dealing with these eerie demons for long, she had quickly adapted to the strange events. This was likely another unsettling illusion, much like what she had seen in the catacombs. Approaching the source of corruption, Eve felt herself being consumed by this dream.

She realized what was happening but couldn't find a way out.

"This is the Silverfish, and I am its captain," he said with a smile, but Eve's heart was already troubled.

Walt's death had been the first case she took on. Despite being botched by Lloyd's interference, Eve had uncovered many clues in her subsequent investigation, such as Walt being from a fishing boat named Silverfish. Yet something was off. The Silverfish was a steamship, a mechanical creation covered in rivets and iron plates. But now she stood on an old-fashioned sailing vessel, built of countless wooden planks, with no trace of the steam engine's roar, only the massive sails flapping fiercely in the storm.

This was a bizarre dream. Eve remained silent until another man entered the scene.

"What's the matter, Captain?" a man approached from the rear of the ship, clutching a harpoon and eyeing Eve with tension.

"Nothing, Walt. Return to your post. Just a visiting friend," the captain said casually, but to Eve, his words sounded like thunder. She stepped aside to keep the captain within her shooting range while glancing behind her.

It was Walt. Though the corpse in the morgue had been unrecognizable, Eve could still find traces of familiarity in this man.

The inexplicable strangeness deepened, and Eve felt unprecedented unease.

"Don't be afraid. I mean no harm," the captain tried to soothe Eve, but she didn't believe him. She aimed her gun at him. The captain gestured for Walt to leave, and the man, already dead, stiffly walked away like a machine, leaving only Eve and the captain in view.

"Where... exactly are we?" Eve asked, knowing her gun might not harm the man before her, but it was her only source of security.

"The Silverfish, sailing toward a new era," the captain said, turning his back to Eve and once again handling the helm. Facing the storm unflinchingly, the cold rain striking his resolute face, he stood like a statue.

"You know, I rather dislike the new era. When I was a child, steam engines were just distant rumors. I didn't even know what they were," the captain reminisced, his arms straining against the helm. No storm could move him.

"Back then, the Vikings worshipped Odin. We sailed our pirate ships across the northern seas, plundering wealth with fire and axes. To you, we might have been ruthless pirates, but to the Vikings, each voyage was a testament to our bravery, a way to earn a place in Valhalla."

Eve found it odd. The captain stared into the storm, the rising and falling sea painted in stark relief by the white lightning. It seemed he was merely sailing and chatting with Eve.

"What exactly do you want?" Eve asked warily. She wouldn't have been surprised if the captain turned into a demon and attacked her. Instead, his casual conversation unnerved her.

"I just want to share some stories. If I don't tell them to the young, they will be forgotten along with my aging body," the captain continued.

"Later, I grew up, expecting to follow my forebears' path and become a pirate. But by then, my childhood stories had faded. Steam engines and firearms had conquered everything. Axes and glory were mere relics in the face of progress," he said, his voice tinged with sadness.

"I thought I could still sail the seas, but when I arrived at the port, it was filled with steamships. The last sailing ship had been dismantled and thrown into the furnace to provide warmth for the cold winter."

The captain seemed sorrowful.

"And so, my childhood ended."