Deep Sea Embers

The pigeon tilted its head, probably because it felt that Duncan didn't hear it clearly, and quickly repeated it again, louder than before: "Ai Yi!"

Duncan finally understood what the bird meant: "You mean, your name is Ai Yi?"

The pigeon nodded proudly and paced back and forth on the desk: "Coo!"

Duncan couldn't help rubbing his eyebrows, always feeling that communicating with this bird was weirder than communicating with the goat head, and this was mainly weird in the pigeon's elusive language style: "Do you know how you were born? Or... how did you appear here?"

The pigeon thought about it, and its two eyes looked in different directions at the same time: "Oh, the page is gone, try refreshing it?"

Duncan: "..."

He found that he couldn't understand what the bird was thinking at all, and he was not even sure whether the sentences it suddenly said were related to the current topic.

But he was absolutely sure that the bird was thinking, and was communicating with him very...seriously.

It's just that it obviously has its own understanding of "communication"

Duncan talked to the pigeon who called himself "Aiyi" for a few more sentences. As a result, their conversation always maintained a frequency like parallel lines. Basically, they talked about their own things. If they were related, they really couldn't see where the intersection was. If they were unrelated, the pigeon would answer every question... and occasionally there would be one or two sentences that seemed to answer Duncan's questions.

There was not much progress in the communication at the end. Duncan could only frown and mutter: "What kind of weird thing is this..."

He felt that it would take him a long time to establish normal communication with this bird, and this process might even be more difficult than him adapting to the noisy goat head.

The pigeon squatted on the table opposite him, blinking its little eyes innocently, and occasionally muttering to V50.

Duncan didn't care about the bird's muttering, but bent his fingers and rubbed them gently, watching the green flames on his fingertips jumping in the air. He was at least sure that although the brass compass had been integrated with the pigeon in front of him, it was still an "abnormal item" that could be controlled by himself in essence.

The dark green spirit fire rose up, and green flames rose up from the gaps between the feathers of the pigeon "Aiyi" almost at the same time. The brass compass hanging on its chest popped open with a "pop". Under the transparent glass shell, the slightly illusory pointer was gradually stabilizing with Duncan's will, and the dial depicting many mysterious symbols was gradually filled with flames.

Aiyi had no reaction throughout the whole process, just bathing in the spirit fire quite naturally, as if waiting for Duncan's order.

Before the brass compass was completely stimulated, Duncan took the initiative to disperse the flames.

During the test, Duncan was also silently summarizing in his heart:

"The compass can still be used... but there is an extra weird 'medium'. It is not certain what effect this pigeon will have for the time being, perhaps it will be some kind of help...

"The details of this compass are not clear at present. It is best not to conduct a second 'shuttle' before being prepared... Keep an eye on any changes in the compass and the pigeon during the next test.

"There is a connection between the pigeon and me. When the spirit fire is stimulated, this connection will become more obvious, and I can even directly control the location of the pigeon to a certain extent... But the control can only go so far...

"'Ai' obviously has its own will and will act according to its own ideas. The instructions given to it may not be executed. This is different from other 'items' on the Lost Homeland.

"It can speak, has a certain ability to think, and can judge problems independently... Compared with ordinary abnormal objects, the nature of this pigeon seems to be closer to a goat head..."

Duncan summarized some of the currently known information in his mind, and finally, his eyes finally fell on the obsidian knife.

The blade is like a dry and twisted finger, and the blade is black and reflective.

This is exactly what the black-robed priest who wore a golden sun mask and presided over the evil sacrifice ceremony in the sewer assembly hall once held. Judging from its use, this should be a "ritual blade".

Duncan arrived at the gathering place suspected to be located underground in the "Pland City-State" by mental projection, and returned by mental return. He thought that this process should be completely mental or soul-level, but now this ritual knife is really in front of him.

After a little thought, Duncan reached out and picked up the knife.

The cold and hard touch came real, this is a real object.

Duncan released some spiritual fire again, letting the flame wrap around the blade, and from the empty feedback, the extraordinary power contained in this ritual knife has indeed dissipated.

Just as he judged at the sacrifice site before, this thing is not a real "abnormal object", but should be an extension of some extraordinary power, or a temporary object "infused" artificially.

Although Duncan didn't know what kind of system the "abnormal objects" in this world had, he guessed that this knife should not be considered a rare item, at least... it looked like it was mass-produced.

"Is this what you brought back?" He raised his head and looked at Ai, who was resting on the table, and raised the obsidian knife in his hand, "And it's specially for me?"

The pigeon stared at Duncan with its small red eyes, its body motionless, and did not respond to the question.

Duncan: "......?"

He asked again, but the pigeon still didn't move at all, as if it suddenly turned into a lifeless sculpture.

The sudden abnormal change made Duncan frown slightly, but just when he was about to use the spiritual flame to stimulate Ai to see if he could forcefully wake it up, the bird suddenly came to life again and jumped on the spot. After a few clicks, he shouted loudly: "Take this solar tomahawk, take this solar tomahawk, take this..."

"Okay, okay, I understand. You don't have to answer every question I just asked." Duncan waved his hand quickly, forcing the pigeon to quiet down while organizing his words, "Then you know what you are doing. Did you bring this knife with you? In other words, you can carry the 'real thing' with you, right?"

Pigeon pondered for a moment, lowered his head and pecked Duncan's finger: "Everything is off, and everything is free of charge."

Duncan: "I...just pretend to understand."

He sighed, feeling that this was the limit of his communication with this bird.

Then he stood up from the desk and looked in the direction of the chart room.

Goathead and Alice were still outside, and the cordial and friendly exchange continued.

The doll lady had not made a sound for a long time, and the goat head had just begun to tell the seventeenth way to make kelp stew.

Duncan felt that he had to rescue his only (and actually the most normal) crew member.

On the other hand, he stayed in the dormitory for too long and made some unusual noises. He felt that he needed to go out and show his face to make the goat head feel at ease.

But before leaving, he still glanced hesitantly at Ai Yi, who was running around on the table.

Do you want to take this pigeon out too? How to explain that he was taken out?

Duncan only hesitated for two seconds before decisively grabbing the pigeon and putting it on his shoulder.

He will be active on the Lost Home for a long time, and this pigeon will definitely follow him for a long time in the foreseeable future. It is not yet known what the living habits of this bird are, but as a "pigeon" with the ability to think and communicate "Abnormal", it is probably difficult to hide somewhere like a dead object.

There is an extra "occupant" on the ship. This is something that cannot be hidden. If it is hidden now, once it is exposed in the future, it will greatly damage the image of "Captain Duncan".

So he might as well take the pigeon out openly and call it his new "trophy". He doesn't need to explain anything to the goat head, and the captain doesn't need to explain to the first mate.

The first mate will figure it out.

As for the strange words that this pigeon says from time to time (which must be incomprehensible to local people in this world)... there is no need to explain them.

Let Goathead and Alice figure it out on their own.

Carrying the fat pigeon on his shoulders, Duncan stood up, straightened his appearance and posture, and walked calmly towards the chart room.

The pigeon puffed up its chest proudly and shouted as if to declare: "Authentic good herbal tea, authentic good voice, welcome to watch by..."