Grand Voyage : Surviving on a Ghost Ship-Chapter 123 - Other Fleet Movements – part 2

They were carefully selected ordinary ships. Though they had no special abilities, they all boasted speeds of around 55 knots.

Each ship kept a safe distance of over five kilometres from the next, with two or three bonfires on deck. The fires both cleared the white fog and guided the route.

Additionally, each ship had a fuse made of fuel leading from the deck straight into the cabin, which was filled with wood, pale worm carcasses, and other flammable materials.

If Ice Nest Worms approached, the crew would ignite the fuse and sail toward a designated location away from the fleet.

According to Zhao’s reports, the Ice Nest Worms had an average flight speed of around 50 knots.

As long as the reconnaissance ships reacted quickly, the worms would struggle to catch up.

Even if a few worms managed to reach the ships, it wouldn’t make much of a difference — they wouldn’t be able to extinguish the raging flames!

Upon reaching the designated location, the pilots would abandon ship and jump into the sea where the Deep Diver submarine would be waiting to retrieve them.

"I cherish the life of every crew member!"

"But at the same time, I hope that when I order you to die, you will not hesitate!"

"Because survival demands sacrifice"

"And that sacrifice... may one day include me!"

During the announcement of the plan, Shen Guanquan delivered a passionate speech.

His words carried an inexplicable power, not only were they convincing, but they also inspired admiration.

Almost every member of the fleet placed their faith in Shen Guanquan.

Even those who had felt uneasy and whose sanity had begun to waver found their confidence restored, their attributes enhanced, thanks to his speech.

It was the effect of Shen Guanquan’s unique talent — Psychological Suggestion and Great Leadership.

Of course, his personal charisma also played a crucial role!

Thus, the plan was executed smoothly without any objections.

When the otherwise unremarkable players set aside their conflicts, schemes, and personal grudges to work towards a shared goal, humanity’s highly social nature and collective power became apparent.

Like a massive machine, each person was a cog. Seemingly insignificant, yet absolutely essential. It wasn’t a contradiction.

After all, the loss or delay of a single cog wouldn’t stop the machine from running.

Shen Guanquan sat in the captain’s quarters of the Hope, holding the latest issue of a weekly publication.

"One-Eye..." He muttered to himself.

After reading the issue, he had all but given up on the idea of recruiting One-Eye.

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To One-Eye, the New World Fleet would likely be nothing more than dead weight.

After all, he had single-handedly reduced even a Crystal Giant, a terrifying monster, to mere rubble...

"Just one more week, and we’ll be out of the Extreme Winter Sea. Supplies are sufficient..."

"Seven deaths so far, but that was a necessary sacrifice."

"Not everyone can outrun the Ice Nest Worms..."

Meanwhile, in another part of the sea, far from the New World Fleet...

A dozen or so ships were linked together, moving forward slowly.

Unlike other fleets, this one was eerily silent, almost lifeless, as few spoke.

At the forefront was the Banquet, leading the way with a bonfire burning at its bow.

Though there were figures standing on the decks of the other ships, there were no fires. The crew braved the freezing temperatures, minus 30 degrees Celsius, without even wearing cold-weather gear.

Suddenly, a swarm of Ice Nest Worms was drawn to the firelight.

Instantly, the flames aboard the Banquet were extinguished. The fleet’s leader, Wiseman, had kicked the bonfire into the sea.

With their target gone, the worms lingered briefly before dispersing.

The extreme cold brought by the swarm caused a thin layer of ice to form on the sea’s surface, though it wasn’t thick enough to impede their progress.

To the Lost Ones Fleet, the Ice Nest Worms weren’t the real threat.

The white fog and icebergs, however, were infuriating obstacles.

Their very existence had changed, they had acquired an extraordinary path known as the Ghoul’s Way.

They no longer needed warmth. Even at minus 30 degrees, they could still move, just a little slower.

In the eyes of the Ice Nest Worms, they weren’t targets. Their body temperatures were simply too low.

Only the fleet leader, standing closest to the bonfire, was at risk of being attacked. But it didn’t matter.

Even if his body were temporarily frozen, he wouldn’t die.

Once his body temperature rose again, he would regain mobility.

Other fleets were also navigating the Extreme Winter Sea in their own ways.

Take the New Human Fleet, for instance.

Many of its members had acquired a supernatural path known as the Blessed, where their attributes fluctuated randomly, constantly shifting in unpredictable ways.

Their bodies also underwent changes, sometimes beneficial, sometimes disastrous.

For example:

To them, the transformations were perfectly normal.

After spending enough time in the New Human Fleet, it became second nature to believe that a hand should have more than five fingers. The same applied to feet.

Some even grew additional limbs, though these were rare.

More often than not, the "extra parts" weren’t hands or feet at all. Bone spikes, tongues, additional buttocks, even extra heads, showcasing the full spectrum of biological diversity!

They were highly accepting of deformities, firmly believing that they remained human, despite their vastly differing forms.

To navigate the Extreme Winter Sea, they had developed their own strategy — Suicide Recon Squads.

By sending these squads ahead as pathfinders, they could ensure a safe route forwards.

Resupply? Not an issue.

Most squad members would likely crash and die before they even starved.

But as long as one made it through, it meant the route was safe, and the fleet could advance.

As for confirming whether someone had died, it was simple.

As long as their player ID hadn’t been deleted, they were still alive!

The method was incredibly effective, keeping the New Human Fleet in the top tier of players.

Sure, they had a high mortality rate, but that wasn’t really a problem.

Only the old humans, those who hadn’t awakened their supernatural paths, were dying.

If someone managed to survive for three days in the Suicide Recon Squad, they would earn enough blessings to unlock a supernatural path, breaking free from the limitations of their old humanity!

Back to the Nightmare Star.

After nearly a full day of sailing, Yang Yi and Suna had finally reached the island.

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