[Vol. 7] Chapter 32: The Ocean’s Boundary
The next day, the morning sun rose as usual.
Following Queen Anies’ plan, the group used the deep-sea teleportation gate beneath the royal court to quickly reach the front lines, where the merfolk had set up a battlefield on the edge of the Ghost Sea.
The so-called deep-sea teleportation gate was essentially a spatial passage that used seawater as a medium. This helped lower the energy cost of teleportation, protected the travelers, and extended the travel distance.
However, even with this advantage, the mid-range teleportation, including Violet, two other women, and about a dozen elite merfolk warriors led by Queen Anies, only covered around 700 kilometers in a straight line. They arrived at a battle outpost on an island northwest of the Eastern Sea Pearl.
Compared to the Invisible Space Gate, a high-tier artifact personally crafted by Hen, the difference in effectiveness was obvious.
Since it was called a deep-sea teleportation gate, it was naturally located underwater. For the merfolk, this was no issue. Violet, being a divine race, could also survive underwater without trouble. But Hongyan and Le Qiaoqiao were pure humans, which meant…
"Splash—!"
Water splashed as a certain girl, looking like a novice swimmer, popped up to the surface. She barely managed to paddle her way to the shore, where she stumbled onto the beach, grabbing her shoes that she had left behind.
"Phew… finally made it back! And to think I didn’t even need to take my shoes off…"
Strangely enough, despite just emerging from the ocean, neither her clothes nor her short blue-green hair were wet. It was as if some invisible membrane had coated her body, perfectly repelling the water.
Still catching her breath, Le Qiaoqiao quickly became fascinated again.
"But this pearl is amazing! I could breathe and move freely underwater, just like a fish. This must be what they call a Water-Repelling Pearl, right? I wonder how much it would sell for?"
Violet, who was already waiting on the shore, sighed and rubbed her temples.
"Water-Repelling Pearl…? You’d better not let the merfolk hear you say that."
She gave the girl a pointed look before explaining.
"These are top-tier merfolk pearls, only produced by the Mingjiao Tribe. Each merfolk gets only one in their lifetime. It’s as precious to them as a spiritual beast’s core. They would never sell them so casually."
"Hmm... Now that you mention it, there are indeed some criminal organizations, poaching groups and the like, that kidnap or even kill merfolk to harvest their pearls. But this kind of thing, like the illegal trafficking of human organs, is something that most races find disgusting and reprehensible. If they're discovered..."
The black-haired girl made an exaggerated throat-slitting gesture, causing the girl to shudder. Her eyes, which had been darting around mischievously, quickly shifted away in embarrassment.
"Ahaha... I-I was just joking! Of course, I’d never do something so awful!"
"You better be joking… Anyway, once this is over, make sure to return the pearl to Queen Anies. The fact that she was willing to lend it to us and even let us keep it for now shows a lot of trust."
While Violet and Le Qiaoqiao were casually chatting on the shore, Hongyan surfaced from the water and made her way back to land as well. They had been moving together, but the girl had surfaced just a little ahead.
By the way, this was actually a training session. Since Violet had some free time, she was helping the two girls get used to moving underwater with the aid of the merfolk pearls. Meanwhile, Queen Anies had already gone ahead to take command of the island outpost and prepare for the upcoming mission.
The merfolk pearls’ water-repelling abilities were indeed remarkable. After just half a day of practice, they had gotten used to underwater movement and could now fight nearly as effectively as they could on land.
That said, their training wasn’t just for fun. After all…
"So, did you notice anything unusual?"
The swordswoman shook her head.
"It was the same as when we first arrived, completely silent. The ocean feels unnervingly quiet, almost too quiet. Aside from a few small fish and shrimp, there are no large sea creatures anywhere. It’s like they’re all deliberately avoiding this area."
She hesitated for a moment before adding, "And on the other side of the boundary… the water looks strangely blurry. It feels dark, like something is obscuring it. We couldn’t see inside at all. Just to be safe, Qiaoqiao and I made sure not to get too close."
"Hmm..."
Violet wasn’t surprised by this description. She had already noticed the same thing when they exited the deep-sea teleportation gate earlier.
"The ‘Ghost Sea,’ a so-called forbidden zone for the living... It has to have some real differences to live up to its reputation."
"Ghost Sea..."
Hearing the term, Hongyan instinctively turned her gaze toward the distant waters beyond the island.
About ten kilometers away, a thick, heavy mist stretched across the horizon like an impenetrable barrier, dividing the visible seascape into two distinct realms. Beyond that dense fog, nothing could be seen.
The same was likely true beneath the water’s surface.
That was the Ghost Sea, the natural boundary enclosing the entire Emerald Sea, a supposed point of no return for the living. One of the greatest mysteries of this place.
The ghosts that attacked the coastal settlements under the control of the Ghost Ships were said to emerge from within that eerie mist. However, for some unknown reason, their assaults had recently slowed, giving the outposts on the border a brief moment of respite.
According to Queen Anies, Princess Nitila was currently located at the closest point from this island. That was why they had come here.
As the two more analytical members of the group fell into thoughtful silence, Le Qiaoqiao, feeling uncomfortable with the quiet atmosphere, quickly spoke up to break it.
"So… I still don’t get what Her Majesty is actually trying to do. How does she know that the place in the vision is the Ghost Sea? And how did she pinpoint the location so accurately? Also, if Princess Nitila really is inside… shouldn’t she have already…"
She hesitated, unable to say the last word. But Violet and Hongyan had known her long enough to understand what she meant.
The priestess and the swordswoman exchanged glances before Violet let out a small smile.
"Nothing is absolute. Don’t forget, the Pirate King is said to move freely in and out of the Ghost Sea. In the end, we still don’t even know why this place is considered a forbidden zone for the living."
Hongyan raised an eyebrow.
"Then why don’t we take a quick look ourselves? If we just probe a little, it should be safe, right...?"
"Are you practicing swordsmanship or headbutting techniques…?"
She firmly rejected the idea.
"I already tried when we first arrived. Using just my basic abilities, my consciousness couldn’t penetrate to the other side. That means whatever is blocking it isn't something simple.”
"That doesn’t necessarily prove anything, but there’s no need to take unnecessary risks. Since we’re here, Anies must have a more reliable way for us to approach the Ghost Sea. When the time comes, we’ll—"
Before Violet could finish, a blurry figure formed from swirling seawater appeared beside them. A gentle voice, belonging to Sea Priestess Silisa, resonated from within.
"Ladies, Her Majesty requests your presence."
Violet observed the spell curiously, casually responding,
"Are we starting the operation?"
"That’s still uncertain, but Her Majesty has invited an esteemed guest who will assist us in finding the princess. She hopes all three of you, especially you, Miss Violet, will attend the meeting."
"An esteemed guest, huh? Alright, we’ll be there soon."
"We look forward to your arrival."
As the watery figure dissolved back into the sea, the priestess turned around, her face lit with undisguised joy.
"See? A more reliable approach is already here."