Deep Sea Embers.

Chapter 850 Depth 1, Return to Silence

The observation signal from Lucrecia disappeared, and correspondingly, all the data about Breeze Harbor was imported instantly before the reset.

Zhou Ming calmly sensed the changes taking place in this shelter - sensing the gradual collapse and melting of the border, sensing the gradual disintegration of the boundless sea, sensing the city-states returning to nothingness among the stars. He heard many voices, and countless confused, fearful, desperate, or hopeful thoughts. Tens of thousands of minds spoke to him at the same moment, and then fell silent at the same moment, and then the process repeated itself...

His own mind seemed to be detached from the process - the inverse singularity was slowly awakening, and he focused almost all of his attention on keeping the process stable and controllable. It was not until an unknown amount of time had passed that he finally had the energy to pay attention to the situation around him.

He still had his eyes closed, but he "saw" Alice. Miss Doll was still sitting not far away, looking at this side intently, seemingly not paying attention to anything happening outside the Lost Hometown.

He also "saw" the Lost Homeland. He saw the ship floating on the sea of ​​clouds, like a blazing, pure phantom. Most of the ship had disappeared in the fierce burning. The only remaining core was the control platform under his feet and part of the structure of the stern deck - outside of these structures was a "light mist" that was like a stellar eruption, dragging a magnificent tail flame.

The humming sound of the goat head was still coming intermittently, and that amazing section of the ancient god's spine was floating in the depths of the light mist, still undergoing its final burning.

Zhou Ming heard footsteps.

The "Door of the Lost" standing on the stern deck suddenly opened, and Lenora walked out of the door. The "Frost Queen" quietly gazed at the sea of ​​clouds in the distance, watching the world gradually disappear in the starlight. After a long while, she turned and walked towards the direction of the control panel - she climbed the star-filled stairs and came to Zhou Ming who was at the helm.

"I thought you had left," Zhou Ming smiled. "The shackles of the Lost Homeland have been removed. Your 'Drifting House' should be able to leave this place at any time."

"You can leave now, but where can you go now? The whole world is gradually disappearing, and after you leave, you will probably be swallowed up by the starlight soon."

Lei Nora said with a smile, then shook her head: "I thought about it and decided to stay here. This is the best seat to watch the end of the world. If you miss this kind of scene, you will never see it again."

Zhou Ming didn't say anything else, just nodded slightly, continued to hold the steering wheel tightly in his hands, and sailed with the ship towards the distant sunshine in the darkness.

The sunlight slowly dimmed, and then became bright again. In the diffuse light, he seemed to be able to see the magnificent corona and the ancient "god" under the corona.

And in his mind, from time to time, he could hear voices from afar - those were the "observation nodes" he left behind on the boundless ocean that was gradually collapsing and disappearing.

"...This is Frost, and the starlight is gradually spreading from the direction of the permafrost sea," Tirian said to him, "The sea in the distance has disappeared, and there is a clear break in the clouds... It is spectacular. We are ready here."

Then the voice of Agatha (Shadow) was heard: "Many survivors gathered in the cathedral. I am with another 'Agatha'. We are accompanying the children here... They don't know what happened. I told the children that this is a necessary process to welcome the 'dawn' and everything will be fine soon."

"Phaeron has also observed the starlight appearing in the sky above the western sea. It is approaching us quickly. There is some commotion in the city now, but the situation is not bad - it will only take a while anyway." The sailor's voice sounded careless. "Captain Lawrence and I are together. We are guarding the city wall. There are also others on the White Oak. We have just discussed that when the starlight comes, we will close our eyes together and open them when we count to three..."

"This is Plande, nothing is happening here right now, just seeing the stars at the end of the sky," this is Morris' voice, "I'm with my family, we can see the trail you left in the sky... It's spectacular and impressive."

Zhou Ming silently listened to the voices coming from afar, and at the same time used the "beacons" left in the Boundless Sea to sense the changes in the shelter. After a long time, he nodded gently: "Thank you for your perseverance."

Everyone responded through the mental connection—and then, Tirian and Agatha's signals disappeared.

Next came the sailors, Lawrence and others.

A few hours later, more than half of the city-states in the Boundless Sea had melted into the rising and closing curtain of stars. This shelter, which was built by the ancient kings and had been operating for 10,000 years after the end of the world, was now gradually shrinking to only one-third of its size.

And it continues to shrink rapidly.

Plande, the last lights illuminated the night sky of the city-state. From the depths of the clouds came the chaotic roars of the blind creatures in the distance. Huge invisible shadows were wriggling and growing between the roofs and towers of the city, like the last carnival, baring their fangs and claws towards the starry curtain that was gathering in the distance.

Vanna and Heidi stood together on the high wall of the Upper City Shelter. When the stars that looked like a giant circular screen rose from all directions, Heidi couldn't help but sigh softly: "It's so beautiful..."

Vanna turned her head and smiled: "I told you, the noise the captain makes is always spectacular - you still don't believe it."

Heidi spread her hands helplessly: "My 'Miss Knight', don't forget that I have always stayed in the city-state, and I have not seen so much of the world like you."

"…Isn't the mental world of a mentally ill person enough for you to see?"

"...It's the end of the world, can we stop talking about work?" Heidi curled her lips. "By the way, I really hope that the psychiatrist in the 'new world' doesn't have to fight the delusions in the minds of mental patients with a gun..."

The two long-time friends began to discuss the New World on the high wall. Morris stood not far behind them with a complicated expression. After a long while, he lowered his voice and muttered to his wife beside him: "You say... our daughter and Vanna are walking a little..."

"……impossible?"

"I also thought it was impossible before, but the captain said that this is possible..."

Several hours later, the curtain of starlight finally spread over the sea near Plande.

Shirley subconsciously grabbed Nina's hand and nervously looked at the stars that almost covered the entire sky. Under the brilliant starlight, the endless roars and strange whispers in the city seemed to fade away quickly, and the whole world was becoming...exceptionally quiet.

Agou's voice came from the shadows under her feet: "Prande is located in the center of the entire Infinite Sea... The stars are closing outside the coastline of the city-state. Now this city is the only one left in the world."

"I used to dislike this city," Shirley couldn't help but mutter, "those alleys that were always flooded and smelled bad, the houses that were never warm, and the rumbling factories. But now... I feel a little reluctant to leave."

Nina didn't say anything. She just patted Shirley's hand gently, then bent down, straightened "Uncle Duncan's" collar, and pushed him towards the window again.

She knew that Uncle Duncan could no longer observe the world with his own eyes, but she knew that Uncle Duncan still had the last, weakest connection with this incarnation. By doing this, she might be able to make Uncle Duncan, who was heading towards doomsday, feel a little...comforted.

"Uncle Duncan, the lights on the edge of the city have disappeared. I just saw the highest roof in the Cross Street District melt into the starlight. It looks like it will be their turn soon."

Nina raised her head and looked at the magnificent flame that was slowly sweeping across the sky behind the clouds. Part of the flame had now entered the back of the Creation of the World, and only the magnificent tail flame was still emitting a breathtaking glow, reflected in her eyes.

Soon, she heard a response from the bottom of her heart: "Yes, I'm almost there."

"Um...is it dark there?"

"In places without sunlight, it is very dark. The back of the World Creation is completely dark. It does not emit the pale light seen on the other side of the Infinite Sea, but when the sunlight comes on, it is very bright. The Black Sun is in front of us. I have already seen it."

"Well, be careful along the way. Shirley and I will be waiting for you."

"it is good."

The voice in her mind disappeared. Nina narrowed her eyes slightly, watching the magnificent flame in the sky gradually being obscured by the Wreck of the World. In the corner of her eye, another city block silently melted away in the starry sky.

The stars are closing in over Plande, and only a few buildings are left in this world.

Shirley grabbed his hand again. This guy who usually looked carefree was actually surprisingly timid.

Nina smiled and grabbed Shirley's hand. She slowly narrowed her eyes towards the starry sky and whispered softly as if she was talking to herself -

"Just keep going forward... Don't worry, just keep going forward..."

She turned around and looked into Shirley's eyes in the spreading starlight.

"Shirley, you can blink now."

Then, the starry sky finally closed completely above Plande, and the last solid area in the boundless ocean was silently swallowed up by the depths of the starlight. All the sounds, all the matter, all the history that had ever existed in this world, all the births, destructions, great, mediocre, noble, sinful... all disappeared in this silence.

Then, the world was destroyed.

(End of this chapter)