"Self-awareness?"
Dragon Tiger Daoist picked himself up off the floor, rubbing his aching shoulder.
He froze at those words.
"You mean..."
"This ship isn't sailing passively." Jiang Qiao's gaze settled on the end of the cabin corridor. "Something is controlling it."
Hearing that, Dragon Tiger Daoist fell into thought.
What had just happened really did seem as though something was controlling the ship.
"Either there's an evil spirit."
"Or the ship itself is alive."
"Those are the only possibilities."
Jiang Qiao smiled. "Otherwise, surely you don't think there's a living person steering it?"
As the monster fell into the Abyss,
the ship gradually steadied, and its speed returned to its previous unhurried pace. The cliff and the Black Hole had already been left far behind.
Even the wind and waves gradually subsided, and that deathly stillness returned to their surroundings.
Jiang Qiao returned inside.
He headed straight to the end of the cabin corridor.
Looking at the entrance leading to the lower decks, he fell silent for a moment.
Then he turned to Dragon Tiger Daoist.
"I'm going down to take a look."
"I'll come with you." Dragon Tiger Daoist was decisive and asked no further questions.
There was really no need to ask.
Clearly, what had just happened had piqued Jiang Qiao's interest, and he wanted to explore the ship.
Would it be dangerous?
Out on this vast expanse of water,
staying on the upper deck wasn't necessarily safe either.
Having agreed, the two wasted no more time and stepped straight into the stairwell leading below.
The wooden stairs were narrow, only wide enough for one person.
Jiang Qiao took the lead.
Dragon Tiger Daoist followed, and they descended single file.
The steps felt solid underfoot, nothing like the rotten deck. At least they didn't have to worry about