On the desolate plains, Charles walked blindly forward, his crew having vanished, leaving him alone. He had lost track of time and was unaware of how long he had been walking, but some force compelled him to keep moving.

  Suddenly, a red security door, adorned with an upside-down "福" character, appeared before him. It was the door to his home. An excited expression broke through Charles's numb face as he rushed toward it. "I'm going back! I've found it!"

  The door opened, but inside was nothing—no darkness, just an endless void. Charles's body jerked violently as he awoke from the nightmare.

  He found himself staring at a book, his hand gripping a pen, writing something on the page.

  "Hey, you had another nightmare. Just give me a moment to finish this chapter, and I'll return your body," came a voice.

  Once his body was back in his control, Charles pushed the door open and stepped onto the deck. The dim sea was still empty; they were still on their way to the Land of Light.

  Charles sighed, understanding why he had that dream. He had faced many dangers without fear, but now that he was close to home, he felt a twinge of anxiety. What if the marked location on the map had no exit? What if the exit led to another world? Thoughts raced through his mind, leaving him feeling restless.

  Suddenly, a whisper echoed in his ears, sharp enough to hurt his eardrums. "Shtunggli grah nn fhhui Y!!"

  "Damn!" Charles cursed, raising his prosthetic arm to hit his forehead, hoping to dispel his agitation with pain. After two strikes, his forehead broke skin and began to bleed. Just as he prepared for a third strike, a metallic hand reached out to stop him.

  It was the doctor's prosthetic. He handed Charles a cup of dark green potion.

  Charles didn't say anything; he tilted his head back and drank it. The extreme bitterness made his face contort, but the potion worked, dulling the whispers in his ears.

  "Thanks," he said, handing the cup back.

  "Just a reminder, that's the last potion I can prepare. Your mind is unraveling. Although I'm a doctor, I can't understand your condition anymore, and I don't know how long you can hold on."

  "The voyage will end soon—at most three days. After that, I won't set sail again."

  "Hmph," the doctor scoffed. "Whether you sail or not, the other crew members are already showing mild symptoms of scurvy. If you don't find supplies in that cursed place, everyone on this ship will die. Don't forget your duty as captain; you must be responsible for the lives of your crew."

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  Before Charles could respond, the doctor limped back toward the cabin.

  Charles suppressed his unease and began his usual rounds on the Unicorn. The crew sensed their captain's mood, each one working diligently to avoid drawing his ire.

  Three days passed, then two, then one. As they drew closer, the sea remained pitch black, and Charles's agitation grew.

  On the last day, Charles sat in the cabin, attempting to paint a landscape, but the more he painted, the worse it looked.

  "Bang!" He slammed the canvas against the wall, splattering paint everywhere.

  With a twisted expression, he snapped his brush in half and threw it to the ground. Frowning, he stood up, loaded his gun, and prepared for another round of inspections. But someone stopped him.

  "Have a drink with me." Kede, with dark circles under his eyes and looking exceptionally haggard, stood before Charles, holding two bottles of liquor.

  Charles and Kede had never been friends; their relationship was purely utilitarian. Yet, if anyone could understand Charles's feelings, it was the old man before him.

  "Fine." Charles took one of the bottles from Kede.

  The two stood on the deck, drinking and chatting.

  "Charles, you know, I haven't slept much these past few days. My heart is really uneasy."

  "I can see that."

  "Do you think the Land of Light really exists?" Kede asked, hesitation lurking in his bloodshot eyes.

  "Why do you ask? That doesn’t sound like something a devout believer would question."

  Kede opened his mouth to say something but seemed startled by his own words. He paused for a long time before lowering his voice. "What if there is no Land of Light? What if there's nothing there? Maybe that map is a fake?"

  "It exists. I've been there; in fact, I'm from that place."

  Kede stared at Charles for a long time before bursting into laughter. "Charles, I believe you. Cheers!"

  Charles downed a large gulp of alcohol, feeling his chaotic thoughts begin to settle.

  As they took turns drinking, half the bottle was gone. Whether he was truly drunk or just pretending, Kede leaned closer, slapping Charles's prosthetic arm playfully.

  "Charles, I have a secret to tell you. Don't tell anyone else, okay?"

  "Go ahead."

  Kede leaned in close, his breath reeking of alcohol. "Actually, thirty years ago, during the blessing ceremony at the Church of Light, I saw so many people die. I was scared, so I found a way to hide and didn't receive the blessing."

  Charles remained silent, taking a sip of his drink and waiting for Kede to continue.

  "Think about it! They drove thick steel nails into their heads—how painful that must have been! I still can't forget the screams of those people. Only a fool would do that. I'm a smart man; do you know how easy it is for a smart person to blend in among fools? Why would I act like one?"

  Charles tapped his bottle against Kede's. "I figured that out long ago."

  "Impossible!" Kede waved his bottle, nearly hitting Charles. "I… I've hidden this secret for so many years. How could you possibly find out!"

  "How many times have you deceived me? Since the first time you tricked me in Sodom, I started to doubt you."

  Charles noticed a writhing black shape in the distance on the sea, instinctively pulling his gaze away.

  Kede slid down the ship's railing and sat on the deck, resembling a drunken fool as he shouted into the vastness of the ocean. "Those fools, no matter how devout, what good are those disgusting rituals? In the end, it was an ordinary person like me, who never received the blessing, who found the Land of Light!"

  "When I get back, I'm going to pry open the eyelids of those stubborn old fools and show them who the true devout follower of the God of Light really is!!"