Splash!
On a calm stretch of azure sea, Lilia and Lin Yuan burst through the surface.
Perhaps too many things had already gone wrong earlier, for Doll Girl's ascent with Lin Yuan went surprisingly smoothly.
They encountered no mishaps along the way and returned to the surface just like that.
But although they had reached the surface, Lin Yuan remained in a daze.
And now that the Coffin had shattered, even without it isolating him, Lin Yuan gave no response no matter how Lilia called to him.
Fortunately, Doll Girl was quite lucky. There was an island not far from where she surfaced.
The island was tiny, only a few dozen meters across, but plenty of plants grew on it, making it look full of life.
Near this little island, many other islands of similar size were visible, all in much the same state.
Lilia dragged Lin Yuan all the way to the island, propped her captain against a palm tree, and sat beside him, quietly waiting for him to wake.
Perhaps that "seawater" had frightened her just now, or perhaps the shattering of the Coffin had dealt Lilia a heavy blow. Doll Girl, who normally needed no sleep, now felt a deep weariness.
She leaned against Lin Yuan and fell into a sleep she had not experienced in a long time.
"Stop looking. The gate has closed. Zero God, Lilia... they aren't coming back."
Rock Bear patted Rose on the shoulder, his tone heavy.
As though Rose had not heard him, Rose leaned against the deck railing and continued staring at that enormous, tightly shut gate until it faded away completely.
Rose sighed and turned to look at Rock Bear.
"It's fine. I just came out for some air. Why aren't you at the banquet?"
"After what happened,