Mist Zone

Xiao Fan suddenly received a system notification.

"Your current progress in exploring the storyline has reached 10%. Please keep up the good work!"

"There was an exploration progress indicator."

Xiao Fan breathed a sigh of relief.

"I just don't know when this exploration progress report will appear."

Xiao Fan had two guesses.

First, it appears once every 10% increase in exploration progress; second, it appears once at certain important plot points.

It's like the ship has now entered Mist Zone.

If it's the second scenario, then it means that the Mist Zone has entered another phase in terms of the plot.

Previously, when Xiao Fan traveled by wooden boat, he also passed through a Mist Zone.

"That area doesn't seem to have anything special. Something's not right!"

Xiao Fan suddenly remembered that there seemed to be a lot of Nether in the Mist Zone. His wooden boat was surrounded by a dense circle of those Ghost Face back then.

Fortunately, he has a strong mental fortitude!

"Tell our people to assemble in the hall, and no one is allowed to wander off."

Upon hearing that they had entered the Mist Zone, Yi Kong gave a serious order.

"Yes, Your Grand Prince." The servant hurried upstairs.

"Mr. Jiu Chen, let's go to the lobby to meet up. It's not safe here after we enter the Mist Zone."

"Okay. Let's go."

Xiao Fan followed Yi Kong to the basement level of the ship's cabin, where there was a large hall that could accommodate a hundred people. It had no windows and was completely enclosed.

Xiao Fan hadn't been there long when people started arriving in the hall one after another.

These people included men and women, young and old, and their clothing and appearance were unlike those of ordinary people.

A short while later, several crew members entered the hall, each carrying a ceramic jar.

Xiao Fan saw them grab a handful of powder from the jar and start sprinkling it along the corner of the wall, their expressions serious and focused.

Although he was curious about what it was, he didn't dare ask too many questions to maintain his public image.

At that moment, a man in his forties or fifties walked in.

"Please rest assured, everyone. Our ship has successfully navigated through the Mist Zone many times. As long as you don't wander off, you'll be perfectly safe."

After reminding everyone again not to leave the hall, the captain left with a few crew members.

"Aren't they staying in the lobby?" Xiao Fan asked curiously.

"The captain still needs to steer the ship; he and the crew are staying in the bridge. Mr. Jiu Chen, rest assured, this ship is renowned in our country and has extensive experience navigating Mist Zone; there will absolutely be no trouble."

"Don't worry about me, I only trust myself," Xiao Fan thought to himself.

Since he had nothing else to do, Xiao Fan leaned against the wall with an oil lamp, carefully observing the people in the hall.

Most of these people wore expressions of panic, while only a few tried to appear calm.

It is clear that the Mist Zone of the Black Sea are extremely dangerous.

"It seems the allure of the Water of Life is still too great, causing so many people to come in without hesitation, even knowing the danger."

Xiao Fan pondered to himself, "I wonder if I can find the Water of Life this time, and if I do, whether I can bring it out of the secret realm."

The ability to bring someone back to life is incredibly precious!

"Your Grand Prince, something terrible has happened!"

A servant ran over anxiously.

Yi Kong frowned. "What is it?"

"Your Grand Prince, Elder Li and his attendants have not yet come downstairs!"

The servant wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and reported to the leader.

"What? Elder Li didn't come down? Why didn't you say so earlier?" Yi Kong's expression changed drastically, showing how important Elder Li was to him.

"Your Grand Prince, please calm down. We only discovered this when we were counting heads. We went upstairs to ask Elder Li, and he said he would come down right away, so we ran to inform the others. Who would have thought he wouldn't come down?"

The servant spoke tremulously.

"What are we waiting for? Go and invite him down right now!" Yi Kong roared in anger.

"Yes!"

The servant responded and turned to open the door.

"Wait, what are you doing?" A shirtless, burly man suddenly appeared and blocked the only door in the hall.

"We still have some people who haven't come down yet," the servant explained anxiously.

"No, the captain said before he left that the door must not be opened, otherwise it will be dangerous. There are so many people in the hall, we can't let everyone be put in danger just because your people haven't arrived yet." The man's attitude was firm.

"That's right. The crew just notified everyone to assemble in the lobby, but your people aren't coming down. Now the cabins are sealed off, and you're going to pick them up. If something goes wrong, can you take responsibility?"

"That's right, the door absolutely must not be opened. We can't let one person put us all in danger."

Apart from the Grand Prince's men, no one else agreed to open the door.

Seeing that they couldn't get out, the servants could only turn their pleading eyes to Yi Kong.

"Gentlemen, I am Grand Prince Yi Kong of the Boat Nation. I have an elder on the second floor. Please allow my men to bring him down."

Yi Kong spoke, he bowed deeply to the crowd, his tone pleading.

Unfortunately, no one answered.

Although Yi Kong is a prince, most of the people here are stateless nobles and families of adventurers.

Normally, people might give him some face, but in the current situation, it's clear these people won't listen to him.

"I'm sorry, Your Grand Prince, but blame your men for not bringing the person down in time. You're well aware of the dangers of the Mist Zone; we wouldn't risk our lives like that."

"Yes, if you open the door and let those ghosts in, everyone here will die."

Is the Nether really that terrifying?

Xiao Fan watched everything unfold silently.

The Nether is a level 15 creature, and in his view, as long as it doesn't appear in large numbers, it won't pose a threat to him.

Judging from the people here, the Nether seems to be extremely powerful.

"I am more powerful than Nether is more powerful than the people of this world, which means I am more powerful than the people of this world."

Thinking of this, Xiao Fan suddenly became confident.

Indeed, strength gives you confidence.

At this moment, Yi Kong was filled with conflicting emotions.

He knew the dangers of the Mist Zone.

Can...

We must save Elder Li!

What to do?

Yi Kong glanced around the hall. Everyone was staring intently at him. If he went to open the door, they would attack him without hesitation.

Now, even his own people probably don't approve of him opening the door.

Yi Kong pondered for a moment, as if making a decision, and then suddenly spoke.

"Everyone's purpose in boarding this ship must be the same: the Water of Life."

No one expected Yi Kong to bring this up suddenly, but it wasn't a secret. Coming to the Black Sea not for the Water of Life —could it be that he'd had enough of life?

"So what if it is?" the burly man blocking the door asked.

"Island of Light is not as simple as you imagine. It is fraught with danger, and the Water of Life is not so easy to obtain. My elder once had the good fortune to reach Island of Light, and it was because of him that we had the opportunity to obtain the Water of Life."

Yi Kong's words plunged the hall into silence.

After a moment, someone finally spoke, albeit with some skepticism.

Are you telling the truth?

"I swear on my identity!" Seeing Yi Kong many people's expressions had softened, Yi Kong immediately continued, "We've only just entered the Mist Zone, it's not dangerous yet. If we're fast, we can bring them back in five minutes."

Seeing that no one spoke, Yi Kong said anxiously, "Time is of the essence. Every minute wasted increases our danger."

"Then after we find Island of Light, you must have your elders take us with you," someone said.

"Okay." Yi Kong agreed without hesitation.

The burly man blocking the door stepped aside, and several servants hurriedly opened the door and ran out.

Less than half a minute after the group ran out, several screams came from outside the door.

For a moment, everyone in the hall looked terrified.