Seeing the blood-red fishing line, everyone’s eyes widened in shock.

  If the disappearance of the old woman could have been dismissed as an accident, this bloody fishing line shattered all illusions. There was undoubtedly danger above, and it was deadly.

  "How strong were those two?" Charles asked Hoon, still holding the fishing line.

  "Second-tier. With artifacts, they could reach third-tier."

  Charles recalled the moment the fishing line had jerked. From taut to slack, it had happened in less than two seconds. This meant that whatever was up there was far more powerful than them. The two had been killed instantly, without even a chance to fight back.

  While Charles frowned in deep thought, the followers of the Church of Light were in a state of panic, their faith teetering on the edge of collapse.

  "Has the God of Light abandoned us?"

  "No wonder the divine light that was said to warm the heart can kill. The God of Light has forsaken us! He doesn’t want us to enter His kingdom!"

  "My Lord, are we unworthy to live in Your divine realm?"

  As the murmurs grew louder, a furious voice exploded in everyone’s ears. "Enough!!"

  It was Cardinal Hoon. His face was red with anger, and the old man’s frailty had vanished. His white beard and hair seemed to float as if alive.

  He took the staff handed to him by a servant and addressed the crowd in a booming voice. "We’ve searched for so many years and finally found the Land of Light. Are we going to retreat because of a single setback?"

  Hoon’s commanding presence instantly quelled the panic among the followers.

  "Brothers and sisters! Where is your faith in the God of Light? What have you been praying for all these years? Even if the God of Light truly despises us, as devout followers, we must do everything in our power to reach Him and beg for His forgiveness!"

  Seeing the determination in Hoon’s eyes, Charles couldn’t help but wonder what would happen when they finally saw the sun.

  The more determined they were now, the more devastating their despair would be.

  With the situation stabilized, Charles approached Hoon. "Sending more people up like this won’t solve anything. Do you have any other plans?"

  Hoon stroked his silver beard, his confidence unwavering. "Governor Charles, don’t worry. This small obstacle is nothing. Warriors, bring the Ascension Vessel."

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  A group of tall, burly men emerged from the crowd and ran toward the golden ship at the shore.

  Soon, Charles saw what the so-called Ascension Vessel was.

  It was a small ship, about the size of the Rat, roughly thirty meters long.

  It looked like a cargo ship but was much lighter—so light that a hundred people could carry it ashore.

  The carefully built grass huts were crushed into a mess as the ship was hauled inland.

  Looking at the ship now on the ground, Charles didn’t ask questions. He knew Hoon wouldn’t have brought an ordinary cargo ship ashore for no reason.

  Soon, a large, deflated balloon-like leather sack was thrown onto the ground, and some Church of Light followers stepped forward.

  They quickly swallowed something, then made a small cut in the sack and began vomiting into it.

  The stench of stomach acid was unbearable, but as the sack rapidly inflated, Charles understood their plan. This so-called Ascension Vessel was an airship.

  As the airship began to wobble and float, Hoon quickly selected over twenty members to board.

  They were of different heights and genders, but they all shared the white triangle on their foreheads. The leader was a strong, muscular woman.

  Instinctively, Charles could tell this group was formidable.

  Hoon tapped each of their foreheads with his staff. "Remember, brothers and sisters, the information from above is more important than your lives. Even if you die, you must bring the message back."

  "Salute!" They pressed one hand to their foreheads and bowed in unison. "Yes, Your Eminence!"

  Under the watchful eyes of thousands, they donned black rubber suits and began boarding the airship.

  Just as the crew below was about to cut the ropes tethering the airship, Charles suddenly raised his hand. "Wait. I’m going up this time."

  Charles’ declaration stunned everyone. Knowing how dangerous it was up there, why would he risk it? Was he insane?

  The first to object were the crew of the Narwhal.

  "Mr. Charles, this isn’t wise. It’s too dangerous up there."

  "Captain, let me go in your place. If something happens to you, what will happen to the island?"

  Everyone’s faces were filled with anxiety. They didn’t want Charles to take such a risk. Only the doctor, who was drinking, didn’t try to dissuade him. He knew it was pointless.

  "First mate, second mate, take care of things here while I’m gone," Charles said, then kicked off the ground and leaped onto the deck of the Ascension Vessel.

  Charles wanted to see for himself what was happening up there. Waiting below was unbearable.

  Moreover, whether it was the Foundation’s defense mechanisms or some danger on the surface, his modern knowledge might prove useful.

  Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the airship floated toward the crack in the sky, which emitted blinding light.

  As the altitude increased, the sunlight grew brighter. Even with the sunglasses he’d prepared, Charles found it painfully glaring.

  The glare was one thing, but what worried him more was the rising temperature.

  If the temperature on Hope Island was a comfortable 25 degrees Celsius, it was now climbing toward 40 degrees.

  Sweat dripped down Charles’ face, and his anxiety grew.

  If it was this hot here, how scorching must the surface be?

  If Charles had held onto any hope for the polar hypothesis, he now abandoned it completely.

  The Arctic and Antarctic could never be this hot. Something catastrophic must have happened on the surface.

  When the airship was just a dozen meters from the crack, Charles noticed something in the distance above.

  Squinting, he realized it was half a corpse. The old woman’s body was embedded in the rock of the dome. Her black rubber suit had been torn apart, and her body was mangled like a discarded doll.

  Not only had Charles seen it, but the Church of Light followers on the deck had also noticed. Everyone gripped their weapons or artifacts, on high alert.

  Just as the airship was about to enter the crack, a black shadow flashed from the side of the dome.

  In the next second, the entire airship shook violently, and the sound of air hissing from the balloon above filled the air.