June, North Pacific, 53 degrees north latitude, Kamchatka Peninsula, Divine Twin Smoke Port.
June on the Kamchatka Peninsula was the beginning of the finest season of the year. Three months ago, this place had still been a world of ice and snow, a killing cold of twenty or even thirty degrees below zero, so cold you had to bring a stick when you pissed. Yet after only three months, winter had ended and spring had come, with summer tagging along in a crowd, and it was already a warm ten degrees or so. The thick snow melted into abundant river water, flowing from the mountains to the sea. Verdant long grass, short yellow and white flowers, and tender pink new branches all poked out from mountain slopes and field edges together, growing as if racing every second. After all, spring, summer, and autumn added together only lasted until October!
"Main God bless us! This sun is bright as anything! It's been shining since morning, shining and shining, feels like a whole day's already passed, and the sun is still hanging up there!"
"Praise the Main God! This is the great power of the Sun Main God. Pray to the Main God who governs light! His bright gaze watches over us, and also blesses us, letting us reach Divine Twin Smoke Port safely!..."
Two Zheyang Ships slowly approached the shore and moored in the natural lake bay of Divine Twin Smoke Port. Losanda knelt at the prow on the deck, leading the Kingdom Warriors and Wajin artisans aboard in prayer toward the bright sun. The warriors and Wajin all wore looks of reverent awe, feeling a mysterious divine power in this polar day that had lasted a full sixteen hours.
But as High Priest, Losanda knew that this was the "polar