Deep Sea Embers.

Chapter 748 Sunset

Seventy-two hours later, this long sunset began to come to an end. At the end of the boundless sea, the glorious sun disk now only has a golden edge and part of the runic ring remaining on the sea. In the refraction of the clouds, the sunset glow at this moment It becomes more and more beautiful, but also becomes darker and darker.

People in this world have no time to appreciate the majesty of the setting sun - for most people, the magnificent glow only means that night is approaching, and now, the entire world is gradually entering what may be the longest night in history.

In the city-state of Moko, two steam walking machines with the emblem of the Academy of Truth hanging on them were strolling through the streets. Armed knowledge guards accompanied the walking machines, checking the situation on the streets while urging the citizens to go home as soon as possible. In the dim skylight, the shadows of the warriors and spider robots were stretched very long, swaying into the shadows between the streets and roadside buildings.

In Cold Harbor, the last material mobilization has ended, notices of temporary suspension of subway stations echoed at various stations, and guards have sealed all doors to underground facilities and guarded all entrances and exits - at sunset, the sacred Steam and incense will be injected into the pipes until the city-state's underground is completely purified, after which the subway will reopen but will operate cautiously and strictly according to new timetables and safety regulations.

After all, the night may last for one to two months, and the city-state cannot be completely shut down for such a long time. During the seventy-two-hour "preparation period" at dusk, the city-state's administrators and scholars have formulated a plan. A new "timetable" and safety system are implemented in the long night to maintain the basic functions of the city as long as possible during the duration of the night.

The new timetable and safety system have not been tested in any practice, and there is not even time for more detailed discussions - each city-state will verify the feasibility of their "night plan" in the long darkness before the sun rises again.

In distant Lensa, gunshots once disturbed the peace of the city, and even nearly broke through people's tense nerves. Sun cultists took the opportunity to act, bewitching the highly nervous citizens, and preached that the real Sun God would be reborn in the night. Believers inspired by their remarks set fire to the lower city and tried to occupy churches on the edge of the city-state.

The chaos was quickly suppressed, and the "Fire Keepers" of the Firebringer Church took control of the situation immediately. However, the tension in the city-state has risen...

……

The mechanical spider moved its long jointed limbs through the mottled ancient streets of the city-state. The broadcast device installed on the head of the walking machine made a slightly distorted sound, echoing in the streets and alleys:

“...Steam, electricity, and gas will be supplied as usual, and workers in relevant positions can pass through the guard posts with permits...Night shelters will be open until sunrise...

"On x, month x, xx, we are still docked at the port of Phaelon. This city-state has prepared for the coming night, and now the sun will soon disappear on the sea...

The sound of the radio gradually faded away, gradually turning into a blurry and distorted sound of wind in my ears. Outside the window of the port hotel, the gas lamp was already lit. The solitary light dispersed the malicious darkness and illuminated the empty street - except Occasionally, patrolling guards can be seen walking through the intersection, but there are no more pedestrians on the street.

“…If you notice unusual shadows appearing in your home, or hear strange noises coming from underground, immediately seek help from the knowledge guards on the street…

“We would like to inform all citizens... There are still thirty minutes until sunset, please return home as soon as possible... The new curfew will last for twelve hours, and then a temporary city operating schedule will be implemented...

"Phaelun is a city-state that is not too wealthy, but the situation here is pretty good. Everyone is doing their best to comfort the people around them and trying to find ways to stock up on things for the night... Before dinner, the owner of the hotel said He has obtained enough oil and stocked the warehouse with emergency food and medicine, which will last even if the curfew is extended...

Lawrence retracted his gaze from the window, exhaled softly, lowered his head and wrote down lines of text in his diary——

"Citizens please stay calm and relax. We are experiencing a special abnormal phenomenon. The city-state has enough power to protect everyone. Please maintain your life in accordance with the new timetable and safety regulations and maintain physical and mental health..."

"My crew members are not afraid, but they are...excited to be fearless. The blessing of the Lost Home makes them confident and think that they have enough power to deal with everything-this is not a big deal. bad thing.

"This city-state is close to the southwest border. It seems that it has become accustomed to this kind of 'restless' situation. No one knows what will happen next. People here try not to discuss the worst possibilities. It is to devote all energy to the current life. This is a valuable quality. This quality allows Phaelon to withstand greater pressure than those wealthy city-states in the central sea...

It’s hard to imagine that just a few days ago this place was bustling with traffic and people.

“Citizens have an obligation to help monitor the operation of city infrastructure…If you notice that street lights are out or the steam supply is poor, please report immediately to the nearest church or security box…

“But I’m a little worried about other things—the sealed artifacts on the ship and the sealed artifacts in the city-state.

"There are also those ships that are still sailing in the distant sea, and even though they try their best to return, they still fail to reach the port in time - the sun is about to set, and there may still be many captains and sailors still staying on the boundless sea, from the southwest It takes at least seven days to reach the nearest city-state in the middle part of the route, and the situation on those remote routes is even worse... In the continuous night, no one knows what will happen to this sea..."

A stream of cool air blew past his ears, and Lawrence stopped writing and sighed softly. He raised his head and looked at the window facing the port area. Looking across the dock, he could see two more large cargo ships appearing on the sea level in the distance, honking their horns and approaching the coastline - several ships carrying The small speedboat with the church's emblem rushed out of the dock like a sharp arrow and faced the two large ships requesting to dock, preparing for necessary boarding inspection and port blessing.

In the corner of the window, a hazy figure emerged from the glass surface and waved to Lawrence, who was looking into the distance.

"Two more ships have docked, and they are big ships," Lawrence said softly. "All the docks in Faelon are almost full."

"In the past seventy-two hours, four times the number of ships docked at Faelun in the past, more than half of them came to 'escape'," the hazy figure on the window said casually, with a hint of ethereal Trembling, "They are already lucky. Those who have no time to return don't know what to do."

"... There are chapels and chaplains on ocean-going ships, but these measures are used to deal with normal nights." Lawrence sighed and shook his head, "Twenty-four hours after sunset, this is port management The last time limit given by the bureau to allow normal docking, ships returning after this time are not allowed to approach the city-state directly - they have stayed in the night for too long, and it is no longer safe."

"...The White Oak received such 'treatment' back then," Martha said. "I remember you said that it was after the first encounter with the Homeless."

Lawrence shrugged and said nothing.

Martha was silent for a while, and then spoke again: "...If the sun continues to move like this in the future, people will adapt sooner or later, and the chaos will only be temporary, just like the city-states that persisted in the Dark Ages, and they collapsed in the ancient kingdom. Then I found a new way to continue - as long as you survive, life will always find a way."

Lawrence knew that these were not words Martha would say—she was an excellent female explorer and captain, but not a philosopher.

But he still felt a touch of relief and warmth in these words.

"You're right, Martha." He nodded slightly, "There will always be a way out..."

In the high and distant sky, the pale Creation of the World has gradually emerged behind the clouds. The increasingly thin sunlight is gradually fading from the sea surface, while a layer of chaotic mist appears nearby at some point, rising and falling with the sea.

The towering bow of the Lost Home broke through the waves and sailed into the distance in the evening mist. On the towering mast, the translucent spiritual sails swelled in the wind, while the Brilliant Star followed closely behind, and the latter's half The half-solid hull undulated in the waves, as if it would fall into another dimension at any time.

The latest news comes from Qingfeng Port. The last civilian cargo ship that can return to the port before sunset has docked at the dock. The city-state navy is setting up sentries and navigation beacons in the nearby waters, and is moving a building equipped with a high-power steam core and church facilities. The motorized port was moved to the sea between the city-state and the "luminous geometry". After that, ships returning to approach the city-state had to dock at that temporary port and undergo strict inspection and isolation before being allowed to approach the city-state.

Duncan stood on the bow deck, listening to Morris's account of the situation at Breeze Harbor, and nodded slightly: "Lawrence is currently in the city-state of Faelon. He said that there are 20 people left there for ships returning after nightfall." After the four-hour window ends, returnees must also stay at a temporary dock near the city-state for inspection and quarantine."

"Each city-state is formulating different response plans based on its own situation and experience, but no one knows which plan will be the most effective," Fanna said from the side, "But in any case, everyone has to survive the first night. It shouldn’t be big—even with just the supplies in reserve, most city-states can safely welcome the sunrise. What’s really worrying…is the future.”

Duncan didn't speak, just thinking quietly.

After a while, he suddenly spoke: "What about the sightings of the 'Final Survey Team'?"

"As you expected - sporadic sighting reports have also appeared in other parts of the world," Fanna nodded. "I confirmed this matter with Her Majesty Helena. She mentioned that starting a few days ago, in There have been at least five incidents of "witnessing the sudden appearance of phantoms from another time and space" within the influence of the Deep Sea Church. After comparison and confirmation, three of them are most likely to be the final survey that is performing an observation mission at the end of time. group."

Duncan pondered for a moment and nodded slightly.

And in the corner of his eye, the last ray of sunset finally gradually disappeared on the sea.

it's dark.

(End of this chapter)