Many people in the Hanshuang Eastern Port Military Management Area have been awake all night.
It has been more than twenty-four hours since the Petrel lost contact, and even if the port church sent a spiritual call to the ship's chaplain on the Petrel, no response was received.
The only clues or traces pointed to bad possibilities.
In the harbor office, a middle-aged man with sparse hair wearing a Frost Navy commander's uniform was sitting behind his desk with a gloomy expression. Several other commanders were sitting on several other chairs in the room.
The atmosphere in the large room was gloomy and depressing, as if a storm was brewing.
"There is still no trace of the Haiyan. We have searched three times from the direction of the last signal returned by the Haiyan to the direction of Hanshuang Island. There is nothing on the sea." A civilian officer with short light brown hair shook his head.
said.
"The most optimistic estimate is that the Petrel's communication system failed, the ship's chaplain had another accident, and the ship drifted out of control - but to be honest, this is too optimistic," another officer sighed,
"For such a big ship, even if it drifts out of control, it is impossible for it to drift outside the search range in such a short period of time. The greater possibility is that the Haiyan encountered a vicious accident and has sunk... I have heard reports from patrol boats offshore.
I heard the faint sound of explosions and saw a distant flash of light in the night, that might be the Haiyan."
"How many hours will it take to sink such a big ship? We were the first to send out search forces after the Haiyan lost contact," the civilian officer with short light brown hair frowned, "not to mention that there are
How could the traces of oil contaminating the sea disappear so cleanly? Is it possible that the entire ship could sink to the bottom of the sea in an instant?"
"...We should send someone to Dagger Island to confirm the situation," another female officer said, "Maybe the Haiyan did not sail towards Frost Island, maybe it was stranded near Dagger Island for some reason..."
"Dagger Island is in a special situation now, and sending people to the island requires complicated procedures..."
"It's okay to contact us. This procedure is simpler. The Archon's Office can provide it in half an hour at the earliest..."
The discussion in the room continued until a steady voice from behind the desk interrupted everyone: "Process No. 22."
The room fell silent for a while, and the officers who were discussing raised their eyes and looked at the middle-aged man with sparse hair and a serious face behind the desk.
"It may be that the No. 22 process has been activated - the situation is too urgent or there is a risk of meme leakage, or the Haiyan has completely fallen into the control of others, so there is no news," the port defense commander Liszt said in a low voice.
, "Although this still cannot explain why the wreckage of the Haiyan disappeared so cleanly."
In the office, the officers looked at each other in confusion. The heavy pressure brought by the words "Process No. 22" made the already depressing atmosphere even more solemn in an instant.
In such solemnity, Commander-in-Chief Lister paused for a moment and then continued: "I know General Duncan. If the Haiyan really encounters extraordinary pollution that is difficult to resist, he will definitely activate twenty
Process No. 2, so what we need to do in the next stage is not only to continue to search for possible traces of the Haiyan, but also to figure out what attacked and contaminated the ship - if there is really an attacker, then
It's not necessarily tangible, and it's a huge threat to frost."
"The attacker..." The female officer who had spoken before gradually became serious, "If this attacker really exists, do you think it was not destroyed with the Haiyan's 'Process No. 22'?"
"One of the first principles when facing extraordinary disasters - unless there is strong enough direct evidence, always assume that the enemy still exists," Lister said slowly, "Whether it is extraordinary objects or extraordinary phenomena, their 'vitality' always
It’s surprisingly strong.”
Several officers looked at each other for a moment, and one of them hesitated and said: "That side of Dagger Island..."
"I will submit an investigation application to the Archon. Although the Haiyan had an accident on its way back to the island, and news was sent that the inspection work was successfully completed when leaving Dagger Island, but now the ship has had an accident.
, there are some doubts about the situation on Dagger Island," Liszt stood up slowly, holding the table with both hands, "What next..."
Before the defense commander could finish his words, a burst of hurried footsteps suddenly sounded in the corridor, followed by a knock on the door, interrupting his subsequent words.
Liszt frowned: "Come in."
A secretary pushed the door open and came in, and gave a military salute to the officer behind the desk: "Sir, here comes the gatekeeper, Agatha."
"Gatekeeper?" Liszt said with obvious surprise on his face, "What is she here for?"
"It's about the Haiyan and it's an emergency."
"Invite her in..." Liszt said immediately, but before he could finish his words, a gust of gray wind had already rolled up in the corridor outside the door, and then the gray wind seemed to be mixed with pale smoke and dust poured into the room.
The office quickly circled, and Agatha's figure stepped out of the gray wind - she was holding the tin cane that the death priests always have in one hand, and her eyes revealed between the bandages were serious and slightly apologetic.
"Sorry, Colonel Lister, the situation is urgent. I came in immediately after hearing your response," Agatha nodded, "I want to know what stage of your investigation on the whereabouts of the Petrel is currently at?"
Liszt did not express dissatisfaction because Agatha broke into the office directly. Qualified soldiers know the priorities, and the "gatekeepers" of the city-state have many privileges in emergencies. It is obvious that this lady appeared in such a hurry.
The situation has become so urgent that there is no time to be polite.
"We still haven't found traces or wreckage of the Haiyan. At present, we initially suspect that General Duncan has activated the 'No. 22 Process', and the Haiyan may have sunk," he said with a solemn expression. "Next, we will expand the search scope.
Look for traces of the attackers in the open sea and prepare to investigate the situation on Dagger Island."
"The speculation on process No. 22 is correct. The Petrel was indeed invaded and contaminated by extraordinary forces. The ship has been honorably loyal, but don't rush to investigate Dagger Island," Agatha said quickly, "That island may have been completely destroyed."
out of control."
"Dagger Island is out of control?" The muscles on Liszt's face trembled visibly, "What information do you have?"
"...The source of the intelligence cannot be disclosed for the time being," Agatha hesitated, "but the reliability is very high. I haven't had time to report the situation to the cathedral and the city hall because it may delay time. Colonel Lister, I hope
You are now immediately blocking all shipping routes around Dagger Island, prohibiting any ships from approaching, and not allowing anything to leave the island—let alone allowing them to land on Frost Island."
"Ms. Agatha, I must remind you - this is not in line with the process," Liszt said in a serious tone, "I am willing to trust your judgment as the gatekeeper, but you should know that every rule is summed up with human lives.
——Sending the navy to blockade Dagger Island is no small matter, I need more clear orders and explanations."
"At least this won't make the situation worse," Agatha took a half step forward, "I have sent people to the cathedral, and follow-up orders will come soon."
Liszt opened his mouth, as if he wanted to say something more, but at this moment, a sudden ringing from the corner of the room interrupted what he wanted to say.
The port defense commander glanced at Agatha, then turned around and quickly walked to the small table next to him and pressed the button on the table.
After a while, there was a hiss of airflow and a clicking sound that quickly came from far and near from the copper pipe fixed on the wall next to the table, followed by a crisp metal impact, the copper pipe shook, and the end of the pipe was stuck.
There is some white airflow coming out of the buckle device.
Liszt opened the buckle, flipped the cover, took out the capsule compartment from the pipe, took out the note inside and took a quick look, his expression changed instantly.
"What is it?" Agatha asked curiously.
"A ship appeared in the offshore area and sent a signal to apply for entry into the port." Liszt slowly raised his head with a solemn expression, "It's the Haiyan."
The room quickly became quiet.
The officers looked at each other, Agatha's eyes instantly became solemn, and Liszt suddenly said after a few seconds of silence: "Go to the dock."
The Petrel appeared, and after being missing for more than twenty-four hours, it reappeared in the eyes of the Frostmen and sailed straight towards the military dock in Eastport.
Standing on the observation deck of Donggang Pier, you can already see the silhouette of the steam clipper - it gradually enlarges on the horizon, with cloud-like steam smoke rising above it.
"Identified by silhouette and bow flag...it is the Petrel."
A junior officer put down the telescope in his hand and said in a complicated tone.
Liszt, however, remained motionless, staring at the approaching black figure on the sea, without saying a word for a long time.
The faint sound of the whistle came over, accompanied by a special pause rhythm.
"Second signal, Haiyan applies to enter the port," the junior officer turned his head and looked at Liszt, "Sir..."
"Sink it." Agatha, who had been silent since just now, finally broke the silence.