Cargo Ship
The members of the Final Bone Mad Machines were directing their silent undead servants and frost wolves to haul the sorted ore out of the cave entrance in carts. Outside the cave, the members of the Feather Race transport team had been waiting for a long time. They deftly took the heavy ore, tied it to the sleds, and transported it to the location where the Pansy was docked.
Su Ming moved among the bustling crowds and the spirits, checking the progress.
Before long, Lanlie's massive figure strode out of the cave. The old Blue Dragon was clearly in a terrible mood; his face, covered in frost and wrinkles, was so gloomy it was almost as if water could drip from it.
Without pausing for a moment, he suddenly spread his enormous wings and flapped them with all his might!
"Whoosh--Boom!" A powerful gust of air instantly whipped up a large amount of snow from the ground, forming a small snowstorm. Lanlie's massive body rose into the air amidst the swirling snowflakes, soaring straight into the sky.
Su Ming looked up and squinted, trying to discern the direction Lanlie was flying in—it was the location of the Polar City of Selunna.
"Did they inquire with the Feather Race? It seems the investigator sent by the Dragon Race is quite responsible," Su Ming thought to himself.
"President, do you think this will be useful?" A young student ran over, holding a large piece of ore in his hands. The ore had a unique steely gray color, and its surface was covered with sharp, arrow-like crystal clusters pointing in different directions (sagittal crystal clusters). There were also clearly visible vertical stripes on the crystal surface.
Its overall form is full of rugged power and a strange industrial aesthetic.
Since arriving in this other world, Su Ming has been learning to identify various minerals. He took the ore, extended his thumbnail, and pinched the surface of the crystal cluster hard.
A clear scratch was left on the mineral, which has a very low hardness!
Based on its highly recognizable shape, Su Ming confirmed the ore's identity. "It's stibnite! Take as much as you can, don't leave a single piece behind!" He weighed the heavy ore in his hand, then broke off a distinctive crystal cluster and handed it to the Feather Race official in charge of liaison. "Please go and ask Lanmo carefully where he found this ore. And take as much as he has!"
"Yes, sir!" the Feather Race official replied immediately.
****
Two hours later, in the Polar City of Selunna.
The massive body of the Blue Dragon Lanlie, accompanied by a biting wind, slowly landed on the wide, snowy ground in front of the Feather Race's palace. Qingling, having already heard the news, immediately led a group of officials out to greet it.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Lanlie quickly revealed his identity and purpose without much small talk—an investigator sent by the Dragon Race to thoroughly investigate the Yinfei incident.
Qingling immediately gestured for the captain of the guard behind her to step forward, "Report in detail what you saw and heard that day to Lord Lanlie."
The captain of the guard bowed respectfully and began to recount the events of that day.
After discovering that the magic array hub inside Lanmo's nest was out of contact, the communications team packed their equipment and went to inspect it, and as usual, summoned the guards to accompany them.
No one thought anything would go wrong. With Lanmo, a Saint Rank dragon, in charge, his lair was always considered an absolutely safe place. Requesting the guards' assistance was really just to have them move equipment and materials.
"However, when we arrived near the cave entrance," the captain of the guard recounted, "We found fresh bloodstains on the ground! Scattered Silver Dragon scales were also found! And a set of bloody footprints clearly pointed out of the cave..."
"I sensed something was amiss, so I immediately led the fastest and most elite members of my squad to follow the trail."
The footprints quickly disappeared on a messy snow slope—the other side had taken off. Judging from the direction of the tracks, they were flying towards the coastline. We dared not delay and immediately gave chase at full speed along the predicted route. We flew for a full day and night, until we reached the very edge of the ice sheet, and finally found a ship on the vast icy sea!
Lanlie's enormous golden vertical pupils suddenly contracted. The severely injured Yinfei, in the frigid Arctic Circle, had absolutely no chance of escaping to another continent by long-distance flight. This ship was clearly the vehicle used to take her away!
She probably even came by boat!
"What kind of ship was it?" Lanlie's voice was like suppressed thunder as he pressed for an answer.
The captain of the guard immediately took out a roll of parchment from his bosom and unfolded it. On it was a sketch of a ship drawn in charcoal. The ship was quite large, clearly of the standard size for an ocean-going merchant ship, but strangely, the sails and masts were completely bare, without any markings or flags.
"The other ship was armed and on guard, and we were too few in number to approach rashly," the guard captain explained, pointing to the screen. "We could only observe it from a distance, record its main features, and then quickly retreat."
A faint magical light flashed, and Lanlie made a copy of the sketch.
"Understood, thank you for the valuable clues and assistance you provided," he said to the Feather Race.
"It's my duty, Lanlie Lie, you don't need to be so polite," Qingling replied immediately.
Lanlie's gaze swept across the palace gate, noticing many large sleds neatly parked there, pulled by strong frost-covered beasts, looking ready to embark on a long journey.
"Are you going on a trip?" Lanlie asked casually.
"Yes," Qingling nodded, her expression turning solemn, "We're on our way to the Bashan Mining Area to attend a belated funeral."
"A funeral?" Lanlie, somewhat surprised. "Was there a mining accident?"
Qingling gently shook her head and explained, "It was Lord Su Ming. He completed a large-scale geological survey of the Bashan Mining Area. Guided by his precise maps, we were able to find the remains of dozens of our compatriots who tragically died while prospecting or mining deep within the mine." His voice was tinged with sorrow, "This funeral is to allow them to rest in peace."
"To have completed the mapping of such a vast area in just one day." Upon hearing the details, Lanlie's massive head swayed slightly, his deep voice filled with obvious shock, "This Bone King is incredibly powerful!"
Having learned the situation, Lanlie didn't linger any longer. He accepted the hospitality arranged by Qingling at the palace, ate a hearty meal to replenish his strength, and then left.
With the sound of the wind, Lanlie's huge wings suddenly spread out, kicking up a cloud of snow foam, and his body soared into the air, heading straight towards the sea area where the captain of the guard had discovered the mysterious ship, searching for any clues that Yinfei might have left behind.
****
The following morning at 8:00 AM, at the Pansy's berth.
The last load of ore, shimmering with various lusters, was steadily hoisted into the ship's hold. The hatch closed, and all preparations for departure were complete.
As the command to "prepare the engine" was issued from the bridge, Gospel immediately led the engine room crew into action. A deep rumble came from deep within the hull as the massive steam power system was awakened, and high-pressure steam roared and surged through the pipes.