Volume 12 - CH 6

Chapter 6: Starting Point

Location: Taiwan Time: 11:40 AM

After quickly leaving the scene, we finally made it narrowly before the twelve o’clock gathering time.

“There are still twenty minutes.” As soon as we parked the car in the parking lot, my mom looked at the time, then immediately took out a big box of tissues, “We can wipe the car clean first.”

Is wiping the car the issue right now?

It should be preparing to get out and quickly go to the gathering room, right!?

Because of the delay, our family didn’t even stop at the resting stop and just rushed straight here. The plates that were supposed to be washed, and the stains on the car and whatnot didn’t have time to be cleaned either.

“Let’s wipe the plates with toilet paper before we deal with them. At least they won’t be moldy.” Very insistent that we do something about the things first, Mom said.

“Ah, I can help.” The five-colored rooster head bounced over after getting off the car, very happy to help wipe the plates.

“Yang Yang, help unload the luggage first, otherwise it really will be too late later.” Dad, who was helping Mom, directly sent down an order.

“Oh.” I understand…At any rate, guys are used for rough labor anyway.

Opening the rear compartment, there were a few rather heavy luggage cases inside. Most of them were necessities like clothes and such. After all, we’re going to live there for ten days, so my mom stuffed a lot of things in.

Just when I wanted to move the first luggage case, another hand immediately reached out beside me and helped me take it down. Turning my head to look, at some point, Senior was already standing next to me to help.

That’s right. It was only when I saw Senior that I remembered something else: “Senior, what was that incantation you just chanted?”

“Which one?”

“It’s when the fire burned the car, the one with the wind.” It wasn’t the same as the Elven Hundred Song from before and seems to be some kind of recital. Those words sound very comfortable when sang.

Senior glanced at me, and continued to help unload the second luggage, “That was the Angels’ prayer poem. The one just now was the beginning of the protection chapter, with a total of five segments.”

Five segments? Then doesn’t that mean it’s very short and easy to remember?

I looked at Senior with shining eyes. Is it the type that’s very simple and easy to learn?

“…Your level is already low enough to be urged.” Taking down the last luggage, Senior closed the rear door, “The Angels’ carols are different from the Elves’ poems…”

Senior, who seemed like he was planning to explain it to me, suddenly stopped. I froze, noticing that Ming Yue was coming over here from the front of the car: “Are you guys done? We cleaned up the front, and we have to hurry to meet up.”

“Oh, we’re done.”

As soon as I finished talking, my dad immediately appeared, “Hurry hurry, it’s almost time.” Saying that, he dragged along a bunch of luggage cases and started to run.

According to the rule that if someone runs, everyone else will follow and run, our family began madly running to the meeting place for who knows why.

Then the five-colored rooster head, who was also happily running behind us for some reason, even grabbed Senior to run together.

In fact, the meeting place wasn’t that far, probably a five minutes distance from the parking lot.

It didn’t take long before we had already arrived at the waiting room. It was long since crowded with people inside. There were men and women of all ages. It was obvious they were all tourists going onboard to spend the New Year.

“I’ll do the procedures first.” While saying this, Mom took out our whole family’s customs clearance information and some other things from her leather bag, “Where are Ziray and Yang Yang’s senior’s? I also helped do yours together?”

“Ah, we can go do it ourselves.” Senior quickly answered.

…They’re definitely not going to use a normal channel to pass through customs, I dare to bet it.

“Then alright.” Looking at him a bit strangely, my mom went to the counter to do the procedures first.

Senior and the five-colored rooster head who were next went up on their own too, but I think the place they headed to wasn’t the counter for procedures but rather the administration office further inside!

I just knew they definitely wouldn’t use the normal way!

The waiting time quickly disappeared between the people squeezing each other. Very soon, after everyone had pretty much finished procedures, the guide appeared. The tourists were arranged into teams to keep up with the guide’s staff.

Some large luggages were handed over to other people to bring on the ship, so the ones by our side were backpacks that had already passed through security check. With the heavy things gone, it became a lot easier.

After walking out of the room, I smelled the salty scent of the sea breeze.

Then, the large white ship appeared before us.

In my entire life, this is honestly my first time on a ship.

The cruise ship was much, much bigger than I’d imagined. Looking from afar, I only felt that it was beautiful. Looking closer, there was a frightening feeling.

If this sort of ship sinks, it will definitely be very scary.

“May I ask if you are the six members of the Chu family?” After going up the passageway, a female attendant quickly came over. She smiled cordially at us: “Congratulations on winning the prize. I’ll take you to your rooms and introduce the facilities first.”

It felt like it was better for those who won the prize. I watched a big group of people heading toward the other side, and had this feeling.

“There are a total of three rooms for six people. We arranged your rooms to have a sea view. All three rooms are together and are located on the sixth floor.” She led us up some stairs inside the large ship, “There are places dedicated to entertainment, relaxation, and skincare among the facilities in the ship. On the introduction chart in your hands is a detailed map. Apart from that, there are also restaurants of course. On New Year’s Eve, this ship will prepare a grand New Year party on the deck for everyone. Please be sure to join us then.”

After roughly explaining to us, the attendant brought us to the preregistered rooms, “These three rooms are all the same double rooms and use electronic locks. Please be sure to lock your room when you leave to avoid loss of valuables.”

“Eh? Three double rooms.” My mom suddenly issued a question, “Then Xiao Yue and Yang Yang would have one room?”

Eh!?

I was stunned for a moment. Oh, right, you can’t just tell my sister to stay with Senior and the others in a double room…But I don’t want to sleep with the dark witch for ten days!

“Yang~you can’t sleep in the same room as me?” The five-colored rooster head who clearly didn’t want to sleep with Senior either looked at me with a very regretful expression.

To be honest, I don’t really want to sleep in the same room as you either.

“Is there no way for three boys to squeeze into one room?” Dad opened the door and looked at the room.

To be honest, the bed in the room isn’t actually that big. It’s really only big enough for two people. The third person might have to sleep in a chair or on the ground.

“I don’t have problems with it.” Ming Yue said, shrugging.

You don’t have any problems but I have a big problem!

“Is there no way to switch to a bigger room?” Very straightforwardly asking the attendant, Senior frowned a little, “A slightly bigger room can be used by three people.”

“That might be harder…because the list we received are for normal rooms. Bigger rooms are usually executive rooms or VIP rooms. The prices are also different, and we can’t change rooms without authorization.” The attendant revealed a difficult expression.

“When we did the procedures just now, your supervisor said I can use this room.” Likewise too lazy to directly speak nonsense to her, Senior handed her a who-knows-what card.

After the attendant finished reading it, she was stunned for a very long time, “Ah. I’m sorry, then I’ll help you three boys switch to a bigger room. There are bigger rooms on the seventh floor. Please come with me.” She said, while putting that card away in a seemingly very nervous way before leading the way.

I bet that card must have something like “give full support to the person with this card” written on it.

“Hmph, when did you become smarter?” Senior glanced at me and actually didn’t refute it.

That’s really what it says? I was just randomly talking!

So terrifying, the Guild’s power is really so terrifying!

“Yang Yang, is your senior also very familiar with the ship’s company?” A bewildered Dad asked, unable to believe it was possible for us to switch rooms just like this.

“Uh…I guess he should be.” It should be that the ship company is very familiar with the Guild.

After the attendant brought us up a floor, I quickly arrived at a room, then opened it.

This room was a lot bigger than the double room we saw just now. It felt like a completely different price and grade. There were many elegant decorations and tables and chairs placed in the room. The main point was that although it only had one bed, the bed was huge, enough for two or three people to use and still have room left over.

“Is everyone satisfied with this room?” The attendant showed a very warm smile.

“This one’s good! I like this one!” The five-colored rooster head directly bounced into the room, very cheerfully spinning around.

“It should be more than enough for the boys to stay here.” Dad and Mom nodded, similarly having a good evaluation of this rather high-level room, “Then the extra difference in prices…”

“Ah, that won’t be necessary, because it’s the director’s card, so there is no need to make up for the difference in prices.” Very politely saying this, the attendant gave the electronic lock to us.

Senior…you actually made use of other people’s director!

“I was only looking for the supervisor. He came on his own.” Senior dismissed it.

“Uh…” Dad was obviously very confused. It was probably his first time hearing the myth that an ordinary room can be changed to a VIP room without adding money.

“It’s okay, just think of it as making a profit.” Ming Yue pushed Dad, revealing an enigmatic smile, “It’s the New Year anyway. Just treat it as a New Year gift and it’ll be fine.”

“That’s right, that’s right, but this room really is beautiful. I’m so envious of you three kids.” Mom quickly chimed in, then patted my head.

“Then later we will prepare afternoon snacks for everyone at the public restaurant. Please hold onto your happy mood as you go to the restaurant oh.” The attendant quickly said smilingly, “If you have any questions, you can also press the service button in the room, and we will serve you.”

After being more or less finished with explaining, the attendant left.

“We have to go down and sort out the luggage first too. Don’t break anything in the room, you three.” Somewhat leaving behind instructions, Dad, Mom and Ming Yue headed for the other end of the passage and left.

“Come in.”

Directly walking into the room, Senior put his backpack aside, then sat on the chair.

The five-colored rooster head was already happily flipped over on the bed and was rolling around again.

Being that this was my first time on a boat and in a VIP cabin, I had a very unrealistic feeling. I still think an ordinary cabin is more suitable for a common folk like me…

“What are you going on about!?” As soon as Senior yelled at me, I immediately rushed into the room and closed the door.

I have to stay with Senior and the five-colored rooster head for ten days…

To be honest, I’m starting to feel terrified.

“I want to go out and watch the ship set out.”

After rolling around on the bed for a while, the five-colored rooster head was overflowing with enthusiasm as he jumped off the bed and said, “Yang~do you want to go together?”

Clearly he should have long since seen this sort of scene before and yet he acted like a little imp who just got on a ship. This made me kind of want to smack his head.

“Senior, do you want to go?” Turning my head to look at the other person still sitting in a chair, I cautiously asked.

“What’s there to look at?” Taking some kind of book and flipping through it, Senior coldly threw over this sentence: “I’ve seen it hundreds of times already.”

…Turns out Senior, you have such a rich boating experience. And I thought you always used a teleportation array when you went out.

“Teleportation arrays can’t necessarily go everywhere. For inaccessible parts or places with barriers, it is still necessary to use vehicles.” Flipping to the second page, Senior gave me a glance and said this.

Oh, so that’s the case.

“Yang~are you going?” The very excited five-colored rooster head issued a second call at the doorway.

“Oh, okay, I’ll come.” Taking out the coat in my backpack, it was then that I noticed the five-colored rooster head was only wearing a long-sleeved shirt, “Aren’t you cold dressed like this?” I feel cold just by looking at myself!

Come on, not only is it winter right now, we’re also at sea. If you go outside wearing just that, sooner or later you’d directly pass away on the ship!

“As long as a man has the sea in his heart, no matter how vile the environment is, he can bravely make it through!” The five-colored rooster head issued those words with completely unclear meanings and even had one foot on the chair beside him, causing me to fully abandon the idea of making him understand that people will freeze to death in winter at sea.

“Alright, as long as you think it won’t be cold.” I put the coat on with many black lines falling down, then thought of something else: “Senior, do you want to bring the electronic card?” That attendant from just now only gave us one card. If only Senior is left after we run out and take the card with us, it’d be bad if it becomes inconvenient for him to come and go.

“I can unlock it even without using the card.”

That person currently reading the book issued words that rookie thieves would envy the most.

“I, I see, then we’ll bring the card with us.” I carefully put the electronic key in a pocket with zippers.

“Hurry, or else it’d be too late.” The five-colored rooster head grabbed my arm and ran outside.

The interior of the cabin was large, probably because this area was a VIP room. So after we went out, most of the people we saw were in formal clothes; if not, then it was some couples and the like, causing the two of us to feel a bit out of place.

Especially the five-colored rooster head. No matter how you look at him, he looks like a Hawaiian-shirt-wearing juvenile delinquent running madly in the hallway. The several people nearby immediately gave him sideway glances.

“Ziray, you can just walk.” Being pulled as he ran, I tried to stop that pheasant acting as if he returned to the mountains.

“It’s faster to run.” Directly pulling me to the stairs before stopping, the five-colored rooster head said in a very matter-of-course tone.

“We can get there by walking too. It’s not like the ship is going to run off.”

“It will run off!” He suddenly grabbed my shoulders, using a very serious tone to say: “Yang~the ship will run off!”

…Alright, I know it will run. Then can you let go of me first!? Being grabbed hurts!

“So we have to hurry up and go down to see.” As soon as he said that, the five-colored rooster head immediately rushed up the stairs dragging my hand.

Forget it, I’ll accept my fate.

Since the floor we were on was pretty high, after running up a couple of floors again, we quickly reached the public relaxation area on the uppermost floor.

The relaxation area on the deck had a lot of things planned out. There was an open-air dining section, a parent-child subdivision and a small entertainment area. The most conspicuous was the huge pool and poolside recreation area.

In the winter, no one would go swimming in a pool that was drained of water and covered with a transparent panel on top. There was a mark on it indicating that it has a carrying capacity of hundreds of people. As far as the eye can see, the large totem at the bottom of the pool was quite beautiful.

“Yang~over here.” Tugging my arm, the five-colored rooster head climbed up the second stairs leading to the outer open-air deck.

As soon as we got out of the stairs, I clearly felt the low temperature outside. The entire sea breeze rushed over, cold enough to make me pull my coat even closer.

I suddenly felt that I should have brought my hat and gloves out.

Looking at the five-colored rooster head enthusiastically climbing up, I felt completely envious. Sure enough, idiots aren’t afraid of the cold, how nice.

At some point, many people had appeared on the deck too. Everyone was watching the ship leave the dock and the large sea.

“This way.” After climbing up the second floor of the lookout, the five-colored rooster head directly threw himself on the railing.

I also followed him over there and leaned on the railing. As far as the eye can see, it was all sea outside. The parts closer to us was gray, then a bit grayish-green, grayish-blue, and further out, the color that seemed to be connected to the horizon was a darker blue.

This seems to be the first time I was so far away from home…a different world doesn’t count.

“When it sails, do we all have to set off fireworks?” The five-colored rooster head leaning over the railings suddenly spoke words that caused me to take back all my thoughts in a second.

As soon as I turned my head, I was shocked to see that he had taken out a gun barrel as long as his arm from who knows where.

“I beg of you, please don’t!” I immediately rushed over and grabbed his gun barrel.

You want us to be treated as people who brought hazardous products and get chased off the ship, huh!?

“Why!? Men at sea are supposed to set off firecrackers to announce the hot-blooded hearts of the men about to sail off!” Who knows where he had learned this weird concept, the five-colored rooster head pushed me while wanting to snatch his gun barrel back.

Then you can use a cracker to celebrate! Believe me, using a cracker will definitely not hinder anyone and won’t cause us to be chased off the ship either!

“You don’t need to announce it; everyone probably knows that you have the heart of a man at sea!” I once again reached out to grab his gun barrel. It should be known that if this fires, we won’t be playing the “men at sea” game anymore, but rather the “captain coming to kick people off” game.

“No way! It must be announced to the whole world!” Already leaning toward the topic of quibbling, the five-colored rooster was pushing my hand away nonstop, and he even kept moving to the side.

Now I’m starting to think: is it because Senior didn’t want to see this sort of scene that he didn’t follow us outside?

A couple of tourists that have appeared in the lookout were looking at us strangely.

“Ziray! Listen to me!” Grabbing the other end of his gun barrel, I said very seriously: “Something like crackers should be set off during the return trip. That way it can prove we experienced the achievement of touring the sea and coming back!”

I’m sorry, all of you gods and family ancestors. I also had no choice but to talk nonsense and deceive people. Please know that I was only lying for the sake of this ship.

The five-colored rooster head stopped, eyes widening as he looked at me, “Oh right, that seems to be better. Yang~sure enough, you’re very interesting.”

He took less than a second to be convinced by me!

I really wanted to go find a corner and cry for myself.

The five-colored rooster head, who decided to set firecrackers on the return trip, hummed as he put his big firecracker away, “I think we’re about to depart.” Shaking my shoulder, he looked at the port happily.

In less than a few minutes, the entire ship issued a huge tremor. Even the floor seemed to be shaking. That tremendous noise continued for a while before starting to decrease.

The few seabirds that were originally perched aloft the ship were shocked by that noise, unfolding their wings and beginning to fly around.

Even in winter, the sky was still very sunny, and the afternoon sun appeared in the sky.

It was a very sunny day to set sail.

“Would the two of you like some beverages?”

Just when the five-colored rooster head and I were spiritedly watching the ship leave the port, a voice came from behind us; turning our heads, we saw a ship waiter carrying a tray of drinks smiling at us.

“I want!” The five-colored rooster head quickly took two fizzy drinks from the waiter, giving one to me.

“Later we will have a departure show on our deck, so please be sure to watch it.” The waiter smiled as he told us, then left to approach the next pair of tourists also at the lookout to offer them drinks.

Departure show?

I saw that there truly were a lot of people on the deck below the lookout, and there were even some who didn’t exactly look like tourists, holding multicolored boxes. It looks like they should be the group performing later.

Carefully holding the drink, I saw that my dad, mom and Ming Yue were also on the deck below watching.

Then after the noise, the ship started to move slightly.

A lot of people cheered at the same time, then several crew members by the side pulled party poppers, and the whole bottom became lively.

The ship’s hull slowly moved out bit by bit, then started to accelerate a little. Waves rose up on the sea, continuously rolling beside the ship, as if there were many creatures leaping around…creatures?

Did I see that correctly?

Rubbing my eyes hard, I looked beside the ship again. There really were lots of tiny, round blue things rolling around and even had tentacles. Not crabs nor jellyfish, that pile of things was still half submerged in the ocean.

What kind of unknown creatures are those!?

“Zi, Ziray.” I tugged the five-colored rooster head next to me and watched as many blue things stuck themselves to the ship and tried to climb up, causing me to start getting a little nervous about whether this was something strange, “Do you see that pile of blue things stuck on the ship and in the sea…”

The five-colored rooster head looked in the direction I was pointing to, then grinned: “You don’t need to worry about them. Those are ball fish in the ocean. They’re interested in rolling with the waves and climbing high things, but fall off when hit by the waves or if the wind is a little strong.”

…They really are a perseverant species.

“However, it seems like their numbers have decreased. I remember there were a lot more before. They help clean up the dirty things in the ocean.”

Which means that in fact, they were all over the ocean before?

It was a bit difficult for me to imagine that image. It’s also fortunate that an ordinary person here couldn’t see them, otherwise it would cause an uproar…wait a minute! I’m an ordinary person too!

Looks like I’ve been mentally and physically exhausted without realizing it. I even forgot that I was an ordinary person.

The port in our line of sight was getting further and further away, and there were still people waving at us from that side. Then I saw several colorful balloons rising up, as if to wish everyone a happy voyage.

Loud music came from the deck, and those several people holding multicolored boxes from just now began to happily perform. The entire crowd below helped clap or whistle. It was so lively that everyone seems to have forgotten how cold it was at sea.

“Yang~let’s go down!” Pulling my arm, the five-colored rooster head said happily.

“Nn, nn, okay.” I nodded, being pulled along by him. For some reason, I kept having a vague feeling that the bad luck today seemed to have passed already. There shouldn’t be anything else happening next.

…Probably.