The wooden block fell into the water, making a dull plop sound and causing small ripples on the sea surface.
Dawg Russ stood at the stern of the ship, watching the abandoned ship planks floating on the sea.
The sunlight shines on those dark blue blood spots, reflecting an ominous, oily sheen.
He frowned and was about to turn around to check other ships when he caught a glimpse of something from the corner of his eye--
On the sea, there are some white things turning their bellies.
It's fish.
Sea fish of all sizes, from finger-long whitebait to arm-thick seabass, are floating around the discarded planks of the boat.
Their abdomens are facing upwards, their gill covers are slightly open, and their bodies are still making final, unconscious twitches.
More dead fish are rising from deeper waters, spreading a pale, dense blanket of corpses on the sea around the fleet.
Dawg Lars's pupils shrank slightly.
Those fish - they were poisoned by the blood on the ship's planks.
He subconsciously took a step back, away from the side of the ship.
His eyes fell on the blue blood stains on the edge of the deck that had not been completely cleaned up, and he suddenly felt that those things were more dangerous than before.
They're not just disgusting - they're deadly.
"Your Highness is here!" Someone shouted.
Dawg Russ turned his head suddenly.
King Ghidorah's huge figure was hovering at low altitude, and the wind pressure from its wings blew out spreading ripples on the sea surface.
Those dead fish were pushed away by the wind and waves, leaving a relatively clean water area around the fleet.
Redd's boots made a dull sound when they stepped on the deck.
His brows wrinkled slightly as soon as he stepped onto the deck.
The stench was stronger than what was smelled in the air and was almost impossible to ignore.
He lowered his head and glanced at his feet - although Dawg Russ ordered the blood-soaked ship's planks to be dismantled, there were still many traces of dark blue remaining between the gaps in the deck, around the base of the mast, and where the ropes were stacked.
He walked to the side of the boat and leaned over to look at the sea.
A recently discarded ship plank was floating not far away, and the blue blood stains on it were changing in some way under the sunlight - the color was slowly changing from bright indigo to darker, from blue to dark blue, and from dark blue to almost inky black.
It was a transformation process like ink spreading in water, but it also carried a more organic, more... death atmosphere.
Redd's eyes moved towards the dead fish.
They float on the water, their bodies stiff, their gill covers open, and white foam spitting out of their mouths.
The abdomens of some fish have begun to swell, which is a sign of gas accumulation in the body - from poisoning to death to beginning to decay, this process is abnormally fast.
"Interesting." Redd whispered.
He stretched out his hand, wanting to touch the remaining blue blood stains on the side of the ship. The captain of the guard beside him immediately came up nervously. "Your Highness, be careful--"
Redd waved his hand without actually touching it.
He just moved closer and carefully observed the blood that was turning black.
He could smell that as the color changed, the stench also changed - from the original smell of rotten fish to a more pungent smell with a sharp chemical smell.
It's like some kind of lye, or some kind of concentrated toxin.
"Blood will deteriorate quickly after leaving the body," he said to himself, his voice was very soft, only a few people around him could hear it, "The color will become darker and the toxicity will increase."
He straightened up and glanced at the entire deck of the ship. Those places soaked in blood, whether they were dismantled or remaining, were all undergoing the same changes.
The blue is fading, the black is spreading, and the disgusting smell becomes stronger in the sunlight.
"This is the first time I've seen it." There was no fear or even disgust in Redd's tone, only a calm, almost academic curiosity.
He turned to Dawg ras, "Well done, it was right to remove the contaminated parts.
If you let these things stay on the ship, your body will collapse first without waiting for Lys."
Dawg Russ's waist immediately straightened up a bit, and his face showed a kind of pride that he tried to hide after being praised, "The general just thinks this thing is too disgusting, and the brothers who stay on the ship can't stand it..."
"Nausea is a trivial matter." Redd's eyes returned to the dead fish floating on the sea, "Poison is a big deal."
He was silent for a moment, his eyes narrowed slightly, as if he was thinking about something. Then he turned around and walked towards the bow of the flagship.
"Command all ships to count the casualties." His voice was calm and clear, passing through the clanging sound of disassembly on the deck and reaching everyone's ears, "What can be repaired is repaired, and what cannot be repaired is towed."
Set off in half an hour, the target remains unchanged - Lys."
He paused and looked back at the discarded ship planks stained with black blood.
"As for these things," he raised the corner of his mouth slightly, revealing a cold smile, "just think of it as a meeting gift for Lys people.
Let them see what their allies have left us."
Dawg Lars was stunned for a moment, then he reacted, with a knowing smile on his face, "Your Highness is wise!
Let them smell this smell and they will know how interesting their murloc friends are!"
Redd did not answer, but gently patted King Ghidorah, who had landed on the stern of the boat and was sniffing the air curiously with his three heads.
The faucet in the middle sneezed and sprayed out a cloud of white water vapor, which dispersed a lot of the remaining stench around it.
The two heads on the left and right turned away in disgust and whined in dissatisfaction.
"Be patient." Redd patted their necks, "They will leave soon."
He raised his head and looked in the direction of Lys. The sea was empty, the thick fog had completely dissipated, and the sun clearly illuminated the distant sea level.
Although the casualties were considerable and the fleet was damaged, its combat effectiveness was still there.
Among the more than twenty warships, there are still fifteen that can continue sailing, which is enough to knock on the door of Lys.
And those dead crew members - Redd's eyes swept across the deck, those figures covered with white cloth and neatly arranged on the side of the ship - their blood will not be shed in vain.
He turned around and walked back to the bow, turning his back to everyone and facing the sea.
The sea breeze blew from the southeast, carrying the temperature of the sun and the smell of salt, making the hem of his cloak rustle.
In the distance, the city wall of Lys is quietly waiting for their arrival.
When the fleet set sail again, the thick fog on the sea had cleared.
The sun poured down unreservedly, illuminating the entire sea area as transparent as a mirror.
Without that strange layer of white fog blocking the view, the route between Stepstones and Lys became clear and clear.