Chapter 383 - 172: So-called Immortality
"From now on, we travel at full speed. No stops," Wei’en ordered, cutting straight to the point.
"Full speed? Do you mean overloading the steam core?"
"Without damaging the ship."
Ronan glanced down at the deck, seemingly pondering the ship’s condition.
"Is there a problem?" Wei’en asked calmly, noticing his hesitation.
"Yes, there is." Although Ronan didn’t know the captain’s intentions, as the Second Officer and helmsman, he had to consider the ship’s condition and the voyage ahead.
"Go on."
"Two, actually. First, our ship is low on fuel and fresh water; we have to resupply at Dakman Island up ahead. Second, the crew has been at sea for two months. By the rules of the Deep Sea, they must go ashore to rest for a while within a three-month period. How long did you have in mind for that, Captain?"
’Another rule of the Deep Sea? A mandatory shore leave every three months?’
However, Wei’en didn’t press the issue. He just frowned and said, "I thought we took on a lot of supplies from the *Storm Hunter*?"
"Most of that was food. We’re short on fuel and fresh water—especially fuel." Ronan gave Wei’en a wry smile. He wouldn’t be questioning the captain’s orders if he had any other choice.
"How long will it take?"
"Half a day at most!" Ronan hesitated, then said through gritted teeth, "If you’ll allow it, Captain, I’d like to request the First Officer’s Guards to help. We could cut the time down even further."
’Half a day?’
Wei’en’s brow furrowed. Based on his calculations from last night, the Judgment Knight was less than two days’ sail away.
He had been hoping to use the steamship’s speed to stay ahead of the chase. He hadn’t expected the lead to shrink to a single day right at the outset.
"Make it quick."
"Understood. B-but what about them...?" Ronan glanced down from the crow’s nest.
"There’s still a month left?"
"Yes, and they’ll need at least ten days of rest. Otherwise, the mental fatigue and pent-up desires will make them more vulnerable to the encroachment of dreams."
’Dreams...’
Wei’en looked at the pirates gathered below, thought for a few seconds, then said, "Then when the time comes, we’ll find a place and recruit a new batch."
"Recruit more? You mean... we’re leaving them behind?" Ronan stared at him, surprised. ’You can just do that?’
"Is there a problem?"
"No, sir! I will obey the captain’s command!"
Wei’en nodded. "Get us underway."
"Understood!"
Ronan leaped down from the crow’s nest. Under the unconcerned gazes of the other pirates, he sprinted to the wheelhouse, yanked a lever, and blew the steam whistle.
With the RUMBLE of the steam engine, the steamship began to slowly pick up speed, heading for Dakman Island.
Although he didn’t understand the Red-haired Captain’s reasons, his duty as Second Officer meant he felt no resistance to the order. This was true even if it meant abandoning the pirates who had followed him for years.
Clelia, awakened by the noise of the steam engine, emerged from her cabin with her voluptuous guards. She had them clear the stern deck, leaving Vian to drill them on etiquette and bearing.
Only then did she come up to the crow’s nest to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Wei’en.
"Made your decision?"
"Yeah."
Wei’en’s gaze was fixed on the direction of the stern, as if trying to see the Judgment Knight thousands of kilometers away.
"Tell me, with someone of his power, what do you think the range of his spiritual perception is?"
"What? Worried he’ll sense you directly?" The corners of Clelia’s mouth lifted in a smirk as she gave him a knowing look.
"This is no time for jokes." Wei’en sighed, pulling his gaze back to the ship’s stern.
Huh?
’I have to say, the crew of the *Storm Hunter* had pretty good taste.’
’At least...’
BONK!
Clelia flicked him on the forehead, stepping sideways to block his view. "And you say you weren’t staring?" she chided.
Wei’en scratched his head, looking at her innocently. "I was just trying to see if they were strong enough to protect you."
"Hmph." Clelia snorted. "They aren’t strong enough yet, but just you wait. They’ll absolutely blow you away."
"Oh? You have a way to make them Extraordinaries?"
"Of course... It’s a secret."
Wei’en: "..."
This was why he and Clelia could get along so ’amicably’—neither of them ever let the other get away with anything.
Clelia shot him a look, then crossed her arms and leaned against the crow’s nest railing. "From what I know," she explained with a lazy charm, "Holy Professionals rely heavily on empowerment from the Power of Faith."
"But the Power of Faith, unlike Spiritual Power, isn’t inherently their own."
"What do you mean?" Wei’en asked, taken aback.
"It means that when they use up their Power of Faith, it replenishes very slowly on its own. They can only recover quickly by using a church, a Holy Artifact, or being in a place where believers are gathered. Obviously, none of those conditions exist on the Cordo Sea. So, unless it’s absolutely necessary, they won’t waste their power on something like detection."
At this, Clelia laughed contemptuously. "In fact, it’s not just the Church of Dawn; all Holy Professionals from the True God Churches are the same. Their path of faith allows them to hold more Power of Faith, which looks glamorous, but in reality, they’re just a bunch of pathetic creatures shackled by their own power."
"Even those Saintesses who have acquired an Authority are the same."
’So Holy Professionals have such a weakness...’
’Pathetic creatures?’
Wei’en thought he understood what she meant. The entire True God Church was like a Pyramid. Those at the top held absolute power and authority, while the believers at the bottom were nothing more than reservoirs to be drawn from.
No wonder the Pope of Dawn was so furious when the Storm Church took over the Caster City State. He was mourning the loss of all those believers.
’As for the Saintesses...’
’At that moment, an image of Kali surfaced in Wei’en’s mind. Was she also one of those pathetic creatures, shackled by her Authority?’
"I keep forgetting to ask you, what’s the deal with a Saintess’s Authority?"
Clelia explained patiently, "They are Holy Professionals who have mastered a portion of a deity’s Origin Power. This gives them the ability to command the Power of Faith, or even life itself. But while they control their Authority, they are also burdened by its power. Most of them have some sort of defect—either a problem with themselves, or they bring misfortune to those around them. And for the most part, they are completely oblivious to it."
’Tsk, so that’s how it is?’
’Sounds like those Saintesses are only slightly better off than common believers.’
’It was a good thing I didn’t listen to Kali and choose to walk the path of faith...’
Before he could ask, Clelia changed tack. "But the True God Churches aren’t without their merits. Their greatest strength is their relatively gentle and inclusive nature. That’s something the likes of the Despair Sect or the Desire Sect can’t hope to match."
"What about the Eternal Life Association?" Wei’en couldn’t help but ask.
"You could say they’re carving their own path."
"Hm?"
Clelia gave him a bewitching glance before turning to look at her guards on the stern deck. A complex emotion flickered in her eyes. "The ’eternal life’ we seek," she said softly, "is for the world, not the individual..."
’The world, not the individual?’
Wei’en recalled Clelia saying that the goal of the Eternal Life Association was to *change* the world...
"You mean, to make the world live forever?"
"Hard to believe, isn’t it?" Clelia said softly. "Ever since the Eternal Life Association was founded in the Third Era, this has been our goal!"
"If even this world ceases to exist, everyone will be forced to perish."
Wei’en stared at her profile. It was indeed hard to believe that the purpose of the Eternal Life Association was not destruction, but salvation...
"Menor told you that, too?"
"That’s not important," Clelia snapped. "What’s important is, do you agree with a goal like that?"
"Me?"
"Of course. Now that you’re also a member of our Eternal Life Association, shouldn’t you make a contribution towards it?"
’Is this a guilt trip?’
Wei’en pursed his lips. "I already agreed to carry out the mission."
"Hah..."
Just then, the steamship’s whistle blew again, and the roar of the engine slowly faded.
"We’ve reached Dakman Island!"