After setting sail, Odis used the time spent in the restroom to enter the "wilderness of knowledge" and look at the captain's hat that Bernadette had given him.
This is indeed a magical item with only one ability: it can make the wearer occasionally more lucky.
The negative effects are almost non-existent: the wearer feels very cool wearing this hat, so they really enjoy wearing this captain's hat.
Odis thought back and realized that it was no wonder he had put the hat on without thinking after receiving it.
Even if you're wearing formal attire, which doesn't really match the style of this hat, I still think it would look pretty good.
Then Odis recalled that Ileja had seen the hat more than once, and he clearly recognized it as the hat Bernadette had once worn.
The fact that this hat brought Odis good fortune in managing to keep this "hot-tempered guy" calm and prevent him from immediately taking action when he was lured onto the ship was a testament to the good fortune it brought him.
He glanced at the hat in his hand again, but unfortunately, this kind of luck was a passive skill that the wearer could not control.
However, when Odis learns of this ability and realizes that she is about to become lucky, her spirit will sense it.
Around noon, Odis encountered another unexpected problem: no one knew how to cook.
Bazel and Rupert always went to the restaurant when they were hungry, as there were chefs on the ship.
The navigators weren't very good at cooking either, and Odis eventually discovered that he was probably the best cook on the ship.
But he can't bake bread!
After thinking about it, he decided to make pancakes.
After working for more than an hour, they finally prepared food for eight or nine people. The crew members looked at the flatbread for a while, but none of them dared to question it.
They ate each one as if they had made up their minds, and only then did they realize that the taste was not bad.
After the meal, the navigator cadets went to clean up the kitchen, while Odis sat in the dining room drinking tea and sighing, "We need to find a chef as soon as possible."
Or buy a cookbook.
In the afternoon, Odis left Bazel on watch in the cockpit while he took Rupert to continue assembling the new "Extraordinary Puppet".
With help, the process was quick; it took about an hour to assemble one.
Around three o'clock, Odis heard that an island had been spotted on the horizon.
He pondered for a moment and realized that it must have been Bernadette's arrangement to bring him to an island shortly after he set sail, so that he would not be unaccustomed to the vast ocean.
Odis then ordered the "extraordinary puppet" to change course and sail toward the island.
Odis and Rupert were busy all afternoon, and around five o'clock, they arrived at the first island where the "Argo" docked.
The island is small, with a port only the size of a small town; it is a "pirate island".
It's not that the island is full of pirates, but rather that the island's port receives pirates.
There are many such islands in the waters surrounding the main shipping lanes. Because they lack decent resources, no country builds barracks or stations its navy on these islands.
As a result, some islands with excellent harbors were occupied by pirates and underwent some simple development.
Many bankrupt individuals who came to the sea in search of opportunities settled on such islands, gradually forming small towns.
Many pirates thus transformed into figures like town mayors and sheriffs. As long as they expressed their obedience to the administration of the various governors' offices, they could stay there as mayors or sheriffs without worry.
The main source of revenue for these islands is hosting pirates and helping them sell their stolen goods.
After Odis's ship began to enter the harbor, many people paid their respects to the "Argo".
Because the ship's mast was flying the flag of "Elemental Dawn".
The ships of the "Four Kings" rarely docked at such small islands, and even the captains had their own bases.
After dropping anchor, Odis left Rupert on board to keep watch, told the navigators to be free to do as they pleased, and to purchase some furniture such as bunk beds and desks.
The money spent on purchasing furniture can be reimbursed by the captain.
Because those two "student dormitories" were still empty, they would have to sleep on the floor tonight if there were no beds.
Odis and Balzer were the first to board the dock, and immediately people came up to them, saying that their hotel had good accommodations and beautiful streetwalkers.
Bazel was already used to this. After consulting with "Captain Gard," he raised his hand and said, "We want to try the local cuisine."
The hotel owners retreated somewhat disappointed, while several restaurant owners stepped forward and began introducing their signature dishes.
Odis thought to herself, "I suddenly feel like I just stepped out of a train station."
The two went to a restaurant near the pier and tried the fruit-roasted chicken recommended by the owner, which was indeed delicious.
It has the savory aroma of chicken and the sweetness of fruit.
After dinner, Bazel went back to relieve Rupert, while Odis took a stroll in the streets of the port.
Compared to Bayam, the streets of this port are narrower and filled with prostitutes soliciting business; for most families on the island, prostitution is an important source of income.
Odis had heard this before in Bayam's bar: often mothers and daughters would work together to solicit business, and their husbands, fathers, and brothers were quite supportive, often leaving home for a walk when they got business.
Moreover, some streetwalkers charge extremely low prices, only two or three pence, but they don't have a place to meet customers and have to "complete the transaction" in the alleys of the street.
Odis is going to the bar today to inquire about the island; she doesn't have time to deal with the streetwalkers' business.
Upon arriving at the bar, Odis ordered a beer and tipped the bartender: "Who should I ask if I want to buy something special?"
He wanted to see if he could buy the "Star Crystal".
The bartender pocketed the tip and asked, "Are you looking to buy guns and cannons? Or slaves? Naval intelligence?"
Odis roughly understood that this port was too small to trade in extraordinary materials: "None of those, let's talk about something else."
The bartender, having received a tip, told Odis where to sell the stolen goods, where to buy clean water and good quality rum, where to find the prettiest streetwalkers, and where to find a casino.
Generally speaking, when pirates land, they do these things: sell stolen goods, make purchases, find prostitutes, and then gamble or have a few drinks.
Odis chatted with the patrons for a while and learned about the port's situation.
As he had already learned, the earliest inhabitants here were pirates and bankrupts.
Compared to the northern continent, at least here people won't go hungry or freeze. The wild fruits on the island can solve the food problem for a large part of the population.
Moreover, the land reclaimed here belongs to the reclaimers, and the houses built here belong to the builders, so no taxes need to be paid.
So as long as you are hardworking enough, you won't go hungry.
Pirates tend to be more peaceful on such islands. Apart from a few outlaws, most pirates are bankrupt or so poor that they have no choice but to seek opportunities at sea.
Although being a pirate can make them short-tempered and prone to resorting to fighting to solve problems, a peaceful life is still very attractive to them.
At the same time, the pirate leader was well aware that only by keeping most people in line could the island's population grow, making it easier for them to acquire wealth.
So in places where neither the navy nor the Loen people bother to care, it is actually the pirates who are upholding justice and basic fairness.
Odis thus gained a new understanding of pirates: they were a complex group; aside from a portion who enjoyed the life of killing and robbing, most pirates were simply there for survival. Therefore, once they had a place to live, they would spontaneously rebuild the order of civilized society.
After drinking two beers, Odis returned to the ship, glanced at the navigator students assembling bunk beds, and then went on to assemble the "Extraordinary Puppet."
On the first night at sea, Odis had some insomnia after writing down the first day's log and the situation of the first island he landed on, and he was able to fall asleep through "meditation".
The next day, Odis officially embarked on his sea voyage, since Bernadette had chosen the location for his ship to dock the day before.
When the Argo set sail again, it meant that Odis's true voyage had begun.
The first batch of "extraordinary puppets" had been assembled, and Odis chatted with the crew in the deck lounge, mainly listening to what others had to say.
Yi Lai Zhe is usually not very talkative, but he switches to lecturing mode when students are present.
Odis sat leisurely to the side and listened. After a while, he realized that some safe routes were only relatively safe. The raging sea would not become peaceful just because Emperor Roselle had designated safe routes.
That part of the sea often presents a spectacular sight, where clear skies, storms, and blizzards may appear simultaneously in the field of vision.
Odis thought to herself, "This sounds a lot like the weather in the Grand Line."
The difference is that Captain Luffy's navigator is a beautiful woman, while his own navigator is an old man with a white beard.
As Odis was lost in thought, Yilai Zhe's lecture suddenly stopped. He looked out the window at the sea and said, "There's a storm ahead."
Odis looked ahead and saw some white clouds, but they seemed harmless.
At this moment, Yilai Zhe said to Odis, "Captain, since this ship is not powered by sails, we should furl the sails as soon as possible."
In these respects, Odis was quite obedient and immediately ordered the "extraordinary puppets" to furl the sails and secure the mooring lines.
At this point, Yi Lai Zhe began to explain to the students the signs that precede a storm. Before he finished speaking, the clouds in front of them gradually became dark and the wind picked up.
The entire process took less than ten minutes.
As lightning and thunder appeared, a torrential downpour immediately began.
Suddenly, the wind picked up and the waves rocked the Argo, making Odis feel that he and the ship had become incredibly small.
After reassessing the course, Yi Lai Zhe went back to teaching his students, not taking it too seriously at all.
However, Odis and his students were gradually drawn to the apocalyptic scene outside.
The waves were now as high as small hills, and when sailing in low-lying areas, it felt as if the ship was about to be "buried alive" by the surrounding seawater.
But when the ship sails to a high point, it can be very exciting.
Odis went to the cockpit to replace Rupert on duty and enjoyed the view of the surging sea from the best spot on the ship.
The storm lasted until after 5 p.m. before the sea gradually calmed down. The heavy rain ended after nightfall, but there was still some sea breeze and a thin fog.
After observing from the deck for a while, Yi Lai Zhe went to the cockpit and said to Odis, "This fog is a bit unusual. We need to be more vigilant tonight."
Odis thought about it for a moment and immediately understood: "That's right, there was such a strong wind just now, but there is fog here. It is indeed a bit abnormal."
"Yes, I'll take the first half of the night, and I'll have the first mate, who has experience at sea, take the second half."
It's normal for fog to form right after rain on land, but it's a bit unusual at sea when it's windy and there's no cold air.
As midnight approached, the fog grew thicker, and Odis taught the first mate how to sound the alarm and how to use the searchlights.
It's actually quite simple; it just involves commanding the "extraordinary puppets" to perform the corresponding operations.
After the handover, Odis returned to his bedroom, read for a while, and then lay down to rest.
Before going to sleep, Odis thought that he should make use of those navigator apprentices, otherwise he, the first mate, and the second mate would each have to stand guard for eight hours a day, which was almost like working in a factory.
Lost in thought, Odis fell asleep.
Ugh~
The piercing alarm woke Odis. Before he could even fully wake up, he jumped up, put on his trousers, grabbed his fanny pack, and quickly made his way to the cockpit while putting on his shirt.
In the cockpit, Bazel handed the binoculars to Odis, pointing in a direction while reporting to the captain: "Captain, there's a ghost ship."
Odis picked up his telescope, and with the help of a searchlight, he quickly spotted the silhouette of a ship in the thick fog.
At this moment, Barzel, Ilzer, and the navigator's apprentices arrived at the cockpit one after another.
They were first drawn to the searchlight outside that was emitting a beam of light, and then they wondered why the first mate was sounding the alarm.
As Odis looked at it, he asked, "How can you be sure it's a ghost ship?"
"I signaled them with the 'Caution: Give Way' signal," Barzel explained. "Their response was: Requesting entry into port."
"I then used light signals to ask them which port they wanted to return to, and their reply was: apply for port entry."
"I told them that this is a free shipping lane and that we are a ship, not a lighthouse, so there is no need to apply. Their reply was: Apply for port entry."
He paused and then said, "I've encountered similar situations before. Generally, ships that give irrelevant or strange answers usually have problems."
"Considering today's fog, I suspect it's a ghost ship."
"That's a reasonable guess," said the more experienced Yi Lai Zhe. "But I suggest we stop shining the light on it. If it doesn't reappear in front of us, we should pretend we didn't see it."
Odis nodded and immediately ordered the "Extraordinary Puppet" operator on the cockpit side to switch the searchlight's spotlight to low beam.
Then he asked Yi Lai Zhe, "Is there a high probability that the ghost ship will be in danger?"
"To be precise, there is definitely danger," Yi Lai Zhe explained, "It's just that the intensity of the danger varies."
He organized his thoughts and began to explain: "Generally speaking, there are two types of ghost ships. One type is the 'man-made ghost ship.' It is said that there was once a way to make ghost ships in the Southern Continent by praying to the God of Death."
"But this method was lost after the fall of Hades. However, many of those 'man-made ghost ships' from the Fourth Epoch are still sailing on the vast ocean."
"Another type of 'ghost ship' is formed by various extraordinary factors. These ghost ships can be roughly divided into two categories. One type is ships that are willing to cooperate with the crew. Most ships with crew members now belong to this category."
"There is another type that is unwilling to cooperate with humans. They will occasionally appear and harvest all life they encounter."
"No matter which type you encounter, it's best to avoid it."
Odis nodded, refraining from showing off by using the "Spirit Wave Cannon" to greet the other party. Instead, he ordered everyone to stay off the deck and not to go to sleep for the time being, but to remain in the lounge and the recreation room below deck.
However, most people chose to wait for the results in the cockpit. Odis sat in the captain's seat, quietly watching the fog ahead.
At this moment, he suddenly realized the difference between encountering enemies at sea and on land. The sea was too vast, and there was no foothold except for the ship. When encountering problems, one should make predictions and wait for the results.
This requires relatively accurate predictions; otherwise, the outcome will certainly be very unfavorable to oneself.
This process is not as straightforward as on land, where there are more options for advancing or retreating.
Suddenly, a light appeared ahead, and then a huge object came into view.
Odis immediately ordered the "Extraordinary Puppet": "Activate the safety on the machine gun and prepare the 'Soul-Destroying Cannon'!"
The Argo had a machine gun at both the bow and stern. In addition, Odis made improvements to the weapon system, making the weapons on the Argo more diverse.
The "Spirit Annihilation Cannon" is very effective against undead creatures. Of course, it is also effective against normal creatures, as it can destroy or damage spirits, but it is even more effective against undead creatures.
Yi Lai Zhe advised, "It's best not to launch an attack."
Not a single mistake, not a single poem, not a single post, not a single piece of content, not a single look!
"Generally, the range of a ghost ship's power is limited. You will only be affected by its power if you are on the ghost ship or in the vicinity of it."
Odis nodded: "Open the shield and continue forward."
The two ships gradually approached each other, and after maintaining a distance between them, they sailed in different directions.
By the light of the searchlight, Odis saw that it was a large, dilapidated ship.
It's unclear what kind of power this ship uses; its sails have turned into tattered rags, yet its speed is still about the same as the Argo's forward speed of 2.
There were no ghosts or singing skeletons on that ship; it was completely empty.
But the lights were on at the bow and in the cabins, as if all the sailors had gone back to their cabins to rest.
The two sides quietly passed each other, as if neither had seen the other.
Just as they passed each other, the cockpit door was suddenly pushed open, and navigator student Ansel said with some surprise, "Phili and Renata are gone."
They were two female naval cadets. Everyone in the cockpit was stunned. Odis was the first to react: "When did they disappear?"
"Just now!" Ansel said, "We were sitting there chatting, and suddenly they disappeared right in front of us."
Odis and the others quickly went up to the deck and looked back. The ghost ship had disappeared into the mist, like a kidnapper who had taken someone and vanished without a trace.
Odis immediately ordered, "Turn the rudder and give chase!"
But the next second, he noticed that none of the "extraordinary puppets" were moving.
Odis then realized that his order was not clear enough: "Pursue that large seagoing vessel!"
The "extraordinary puppet" then immediately took action, turning around to give chase.
Odis then asked the three navigator apprentices who had followed him onto the deck, "What were you talking about just now?"
Ansel replied, "We're...we're talking about that ghost ship."
Odis nodded slowly and said, "Unless you are in our presence, do not talk about ghost ships anymore."
The three trainees nodded immediately, their eyes filled with fear.
Before the Argo had even turned halfway around, a dilapidated large ship with a light hanging from its bow appeared ahead of it—the very same ship that had just passed by.
Normally, this ship shouldn't be there.
This is a ship, not a person. If you want to turn around, you can just turn around.
If a ship wants to turn around, it has to draw a big circle on the sea surface to travel in another direction.
At this time, the "Argo" was sailing at a speed of 20 knots, which exceeded the maximum speed of ordinary ships. However, before it had even completed a third of its turning maneuver, a large ship with tattered sails had already turned around and appeared in front of it.
If this weren't an extraordinary world, that alone would be enough to make the whole ship's crew scream.
"Back to the cockpit!" Odis ordered. "Don't rush. Figure out the situation first before taking any further action."
He was mainly talking to Yi Lai Zhe's students, and that the three young men were already looking for ropes to prepare to board the ship.
One student disobeyed Odis's orders and showed no intention of returning to the cockpit, so Odis simply grabbed him by the back of the collar and kicked him back.
Yi Lai Zhe did not interfere at all, because in the event of an emergency at sea, one must strictly follow the captain's orders.
Back in the cockpit, the two ships gradually approached, and Odis, holding binoculars, carefully observed the other ship.
It appeared very quiet, and there was no sign of the two navigator trainees.
As Odis watched, he asked Iraiz, "Navigator, what's your opinion?"
At this moment, the two ships were closest to each other and slowly moved apart.
"Every ghost ship has different abilities, and I still don't understand how this ship manages to capture people…" Yi Lai Zhe's voice suddenly disappeared.
Odis was startled and turned around abruptly with Bazel and the others, only to find that Iraiz, who had just been behind them, had vanished.
The three trainees immediately panicked, clutching their heads and screaming like three frightened groundhogs.
Odis ignored them and quickly went up to the deck, watching the ghost ship disappear into the mist: "Stop turning around, move forward."
Ansel, who had followed them out, questioned, "Are you going to abandon our teacher?"
Odis said coldly, "That ship will appear before us again."
Odis looked at the mist before him and asked Bazel and Rupert, "What do you think?"
Bazel said, "Every time it gets close to us, it takes one or two people away, but I don't know if there's any rule about the order in which it takes them away?"
The first time it was two female students, and the second time it was Yi Lai Zhe.
Should we take the navigator first? Or take the women first, then the elderly?
Odis opened his pouch and checked the scrolls; they had been replenished since his return from Takal.
He seems to have a "fear of insufficient firepower" right now, only feeling at ease when he fills all the empty spaces in his purse.
After inspecting the scroll, Odis said, "I'll be going to board the ship to take a look in a bit. You all stay on board and remain vigilant."
He decided to go alone because there was a possibility that others might be captured and taken to the ghost ship, so it was better to leave more people on the "Argo".
The first mate and second mate had no objections. They also knew that if they wanted to get out of here, they had to go and investigate the ghost ship.
Otherwise, the crew members might be passively captured one by one, which would actually be more dangerous.
Odis had already programmed the "Extraordinary Puppet" to obey the first mate's orders when he was not on the ship, and the second mate's orders when the first mate was also not on the ship.
Just as Odis had predicted, the "ghost ship" soon reappeared before the people.
Odis took out the "Hand of Judgment," but did not put it on immediately.
After checking his equipment again, he used a "flight scroll" and flew towards the ghost ship.
As soon as they reached the dark sea, a cold sea breeze howled, making Odis's hair stand on end. He had to muster his courage again to continue forward.
Looking at the ship's lanterns swaying in the wind, the ship seemed like a giant monster, waiting for Odis to come to it.
Odis landed carefully on the deck, her feet making a creaking sound as she stepped on the wooden floor.
On deck, all that could be heard was the sound of the wind rustling through the tattered sails, a soft "whoosh" that sounded eerie even in such an environment, as if some terrifying being was adjusting its robes.
Odis threw out a "sun scroll" that illuminated the entire ship, and the chill that had risen from his feet vanished instantly.
Under the blazing sunlight, Odis pushed open the cabin door, inside which was a warm orange lamp that swayed gently.
It must have been a restaurant or something similar, with a dozen or so mummified corpses sitting around a table with plates and rotten food on it, as if they had suddenly died while eating.
There were also two mummified corpses in the kitchen, who appeared to be busy before they died.
Odis frowned. It was difficult for mummies to form at sea, but he hadn't expected to find so many in just one room.
The key point is that the lights here are still on, which gives Odis the illusion that the mummies, whether lying down or on their backs, will beckon him to eat at any moment.
Knock knock knock~
Just then, a knocking sound came from down the stairs.
Odis was startled; the "Explosion Scroll" was already in his hands.
He quickly went to check the mummies again, and only after seeing no changes did Odis go to the stairwell to check.
The stairs were pitch black, and you couldn't see what was below.
After taking one last look at the mummies, Odis carefully descended the stairs.
The stairs are also quite old, and they make a creaking sound when you step on them.
Once below deck, the corridor was pitch black and even colder; Odis felt as if she had stepped into an ice cave.
Knock knock knock~
The knocking sound rang out again, and Odis slowly approached, confirming that the knocking was coming from a room with the door closed.
He placed one hand on his bag and opened the door with the other.
Whoosh~
Odis abruptly stepped back and saw a mummified corpse with long hair hanging from the rafters. It appeared to have committed suicide by hanging.
Because Odis opened the door so violently, a gust of wind blew up, causing the corpse to sway and appear to be performing a bizarre dance.
There were no lights in the room, but Odis could still see clearly inside.
The knocking sound just now was clearly unlikely to have come from this mummified corpse.
Inside the room, there were three other mummified corpses, all huddled in a corner.
In one of the corners, Odis saw Feli and Renata, the two female navigator trainees, forcefully covering their mouths.
As Odis was about to step forward to ask, she suddenly noticed that the two students were trembling with fear at the sudden opening of the door, but they still tried their best to cover their mouths.
Odis understood this, and pinched a little powder to create a small flame.
This is "Fire Spell". After advancing to Sequence 6, "Fire Spell" burns for a longer time.
Only then did he enter the room so that Felicity and Renata could see him clearly.
The two female navigator trainees breathed a long sigh of relief after recognizing the captain.
But as if they suddenly remembered something, they quickly pointed to the wall next to them.
Odis saw two lines of large characters written on the wall: Do not make any sound, or they will come to life.
Don't stay in rooms with lights on all the time, or you'll become like them.
These words appeared to be written in blood, and under the firelight, they looked grotesque and terrifying.
At this moment, the flame in Odis's hand disappeared, and Felicity immediately lit her lighter. In the room with the four mummies, a little light made them feel at ease.
Odis roughly understood that they must have come to this room together, and after seeing the writing on the wall with the lighter, they dared not go out.
But in order to give a signal to the rescuers, he started banging on the wall.
Odis took out a "spirit tube" that he had prepared in advance, turned it on, and handed it to the two ladies.
This "spirit tube" has a very simple structure, and inside it is the kind of crystal that Odis discovered, which can store spiritual energy.
A piece of crystal the size of a palm can achieve the same lighting effect as a kerosene lamp.
Odis placed it in a cylinder and focused the light with a glass mirror at the front, making it perfectly usable as an ordinary flashlight.
The bright light reassured the two ladies, and Odis gestured for them to follow her.
They quickly followed.
Odis glanced at the room again. The mummies inside must have been waiting for rescue before they died, but in the end they received nothing and died in fear on the ship.
It's possible that when they first arrived on the ship, there were quite a few people, but they must have spoken, which alerted something on the ship, resulting in the deaths of many.
They stayed in the room with lights for a while, but many more people died there. In the end, they could only hide in this room and die in despair.
Squeak squeak~
Suddenly, the sound of stairs going up came from not far ahead.
Odis thought it was Illager, but when he saw that the other was wearing a captain's hat, he realized that something might be wrong.
Holding the "spirit tube," Feli shone it in that direction, illuminating the face of a desiccated corpse—shriveled eyes, a collapsed nose, and a mouth baring its teeth.