Two naval officers exchanged a glance, straightened their postures, and the one on the left spoke clearly, "Report, Captain James." The officer on the right added, "Also our lieutenant." James, lieutenant... Zhang Yuanqing silently noted the name, then narrowed his eyes, observing the two naval officers closely. "Are you both afraid of me?" As a master of illusion, he could perceive the emotions of those around him instantly. Upon hearing this, the two naval officers grew even more tense, shaking their heads in unison. In the military, junior officers feeling apprehensive toward their superiors was the norm. Zhang Yuanqing did not dwell on this matter, instead maintaining a pleasant demeanor and inquiring about the current situation aboard the ship. After a few exchanges, he gained a clear understanding of the ship's condition. Lieutenant and captain James was the highest-ranking officer aboard, and there was also a red bishop whose status stood equal to James's. In the United Nations of Ireland, the Church held the position of national church and enjoyed high prestige, serving as the official institution of the era—marked by steam and artillery. Zhang Yuanqing waved his hand, asking the two naval officers to continue patrolling, and then walked along the deck toward the captain's office. Along the way, he didn't see any tourists. Though it was a cruise ship, the decks and cabins were filled only with naval personnel, seamen, and logistics staff. Zhang noticed a detail—whether seamen, naval officers, or logistics staff, they all seemed afraid of him. "We're carrying out a secret mission; sending warships would be too conspicuous... The Cardinal of the Church is also on board. This secret mission must be related to the spiritual realm travelers." "Hmph. I have a civilian identity in my副本, but without any memory infusion, and even basic intelligence provided—am I supposed to discover everything on my own?" With no prior information, he had to explore everything himself, including the identities, skills, and professions of the NPCs aboard the ship. Considering it was an S-tier副本, this level of challenge was quite reasonable. "As things stand now, the cruise ship is still safe. The crisis probably won't erupt so quickly. Once we understand the mission, the nature of the threat will become clear—our objectives are quite specific." "According to the account from the spiritual realm, the cruise ship vanished during its return journey. If the ship is returning, that means the mission has already been completed..." Behind the brown desk sat a sturdy middle-aged man in a long, pure black coat with gold double-breasted buttons, wearing a white shirt and a black tie. Captain James had a face like a Greek sculpture, his well-groomed, neat beard, and his deep blue eyes resembling the vastness of the sea. When he saw Zhang Yuanqing enter, a quiet ripple of emotion stirred on the surface of the sea, then settled swiftly. "Lieutenant Has, is there anything I can assist you with?" the captain nodded. "There are still fifteen days... Zhang Yuanqing had originally intended to make a light-hearted remark: "Oh my goodness, you've actually guessed it all—yes, yes, that little diva is so tight and moist." But seeing James's serious expression, as if about to step onto the battlefield, he chose instead to remain composed and avoid any humor. As for the fact that his grandmother had passed away years ago—this was likely part of Lieutenant Has's character setup. Zhang Yuanqing wasn't particularly concerned about it "exposing" that detail. In most spiritual realm missions, NPCs naturally adapt and accept the spiritual travelers; he only felt the need to conceal his identity in certain special cases where a hidden identity was essential. "Captain, I'd like to discuss the mission with you," Zhang Yuanqing got straight to the point. "The mission?" The captain pulled out a box of cigarettes from his drawer, opened it, and offered him one. Cigarettes in this era didn't come with filters. "Captain, I don't smoke," Zhang Yuanqing waved his hand to decline. The captain looked at him with a slightly puzzled expression: "Besides women, you're simply the biggest fan of cigarettes and wine." "Smoking, drinking, playing women? What kind of persona am I presenting here?" Zhang Yuanqing took the cigarette and lit it with the match struck by the captain. Captain James exhaled a stream of white smoke. "What would you like to discuss?" I don't know exactly... Zhang Yuanqing said. "I'd like to hear your thoughts on this mission." Upon hearing this, James furrowed his brows, took a deep drag on his cigarette, and replied, "I know what you're thinking, but don't worry—things have settled down. There haven't been any new incidents in the past few days, have there? With cardinals and priests from the Vatican on board, everything should be fine." Things have settled down? What happened on the cruise ship? Zhang Yuanqing's eyes narrowed, instinctively telling him this might very well be the reason the ship vanished. As he was about to probe further, James spoke first, "Lieutenant Has, please step out. I need to attend to some business." Zhang Yuanqing cleared his throat. "Captain, I'd like to review the mission files." James said nothing, his deep blue eyes conveying authority. Zhang Yuanqing hesitated between physical force, hypnosis, and emotional guidance for a few seconds before finally deciding to comply with the captain's orders: "Yes, Captain!" This was an S-rank quest—caution was essential. After exiting the captain's cabin, Zhang Yuanqing strolled through the cruise ship, quickly covering its fifty-meter length. On the first and second levels, he found dining rooms, lounges, ballrooms, game rooms, and cigar rooms—various social and recreational spaces. Then came the first-class luxury bedrooms. Regular passengers' dormitories were located below deck. Zhang Yuanqing descended the stairs, passing through the dormitory areas on the ground floor and the first basement level, only to be stopped at the entrance to the third basement level. Two clerical knights, clad in silver armor, held long cross swords, their facial features stern and their eyes sharp, blocked his way. "The bishop has ordered that no one be allowed near the third level below deck," they stated. "The middle-aged knight with golden short hair and a scar on his left cheek spoke coldly. The other knight remained silent, but tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword, his eyes sharp and fixed on Major Hase. If this were an A-rank raid, I'd have moved in immediately," Zhang Yuanqing observed the two knights, sensing their hostility and determination. "I'm tired of your tone—be careful, I'll have both of you dining on fish torpedoed by me." He turned and walked away, and the two knights exchanged a subtle sigh of relief. Back on the deck, Zhang Yuanqing deliberately struck up casual conversations with the seamen and naval personnel, asking them about the mission details. To his disappointment, no one seemed to know what the mission entailed. When he inquired about any recent events on the cruise ship, the seamen and naval officers grew pale, shaking their heads in confusion, claiming to know nothing. Yet Zhang Yuanqing sensed a clear undercurrent of fear, apprehension, and anxiety in their demeanor. That's odd... Zhang Yuanqing thought it over and decided to hold off for now, planning to quietly sneak into the captain's quarters in the evening to check some materials. At 11 p.m., Zhang Yuanqing dissolved into starlight as he lay in bed, and the next instant, a brilliant glow rose up in the bridge forty meters away. The bridge was dark and quiet, with intermittent flashes of flashlight light passing through the windows—naval patrols moving about nearby. The darkness could not impair the night wanderer’s vision. Zhang Yuanqing moved silently to the file cabinet behind the desk, flipping through the files with quiet precision. His hands paused, and his gaze settled on one particular folder: "1899 – Comet Falls into the Sea." Last year’s event, again tied to the sea—this must be it. Zhang Yuanqing opened the folder and read the information inside. —In 1899, a comet fell into the sea off the southern coast of the United Nations in Ireland. Since then, fishing vessels sailing in that region have frequently recovered deformed, unattractive marine life. These creatures exhibit strong aggression, their flesh laced with toxins, making them inedible. These creatures belong to no known species; their cells contain a genetically unstable DNA that continuously mutates. Irish UN biologists have been utterly shaken, claiming that a volcanic eruption beneath the sea has awakened ancient species. The Irish UN government has sealed off the region, forbidding fishing vessels from approaching. Yet the crisis has not abated—mutations have grown more dramatic and are now spreading throughout the southern seas. Merchant ships on their routes have been attacked by colossal octopodes, resulting in total sinkings with no survivors. Fishing vessels have encountered the legendary merfolk, whose enchanting songs drew all crew members into the sea, transforming them into the merfolk's culinary delights; the empty ships drifted for days before being discovered by rescue teams. As the official institution, the Church, has joined naval forces to eradicate the mutated marine life, it has dispatched specialized "Spirits of the Realm" teams under its coordination, while the navy has deployed professional fishing units to investigate the original site of the comet's impact. "Could an extraterrestrial comet have triggered species evolution on Earth? Or perhaps, the so-called extraterrestrial comet is merely a tool accidentally dropped by the master of the Mortal Poisoner order?" "Unlikely. If it were a tool, it would have been retrieved long ago. Deliberate? That doesn't quite fit either. There's no clear purpose in such an action—wounding so many civilians and losing such a significant amount of merit points in the process." "Moreover, such an event alone wouldn't warrant the creation of a dedicated副本 in the spiritual realm. There must be deeper, hidden motives at play." "Having reviewed the background, I now feel much more at ease. The initial sense of bewilderment when first entering the realm has significantly eased." He closed the folder, returned it to its place, and glanced around, his eyes settling on the drawer of the desk, where a bronze lock hung. At that moment, the light from the flashlight seeped through the door crack, and footsteps approached. "Click!" The door to the captain's room opened.