The rules interface was the first tab in the Captain’s Log, and Yang Yi hadn’t opened it in a long ti. Its contents had never changed, just the sa seven lines.
Until today, when the system update finally arrived.
Two sets of rules now appeared on the screen. The first was written in translucent letters, fading as if about to disappear. The second set was the new version.
A new line of information had also been added:
Current Exposure: 0% (At 100% exposure, you will die.)
“Exposure…” Yang Yi frowned and began reading the new rules.
Yang Yi read all twelve rules carefully, comparing them to the old ones.
First, the restriction on boarding ships was gone. That ant other players could now co aboard, though they still couldn’t steal from him.
But that rule didn’t apply to the natives. Players would need to protect their valuables, preferably by carrying them, to prevent theft.
The second major change was the introduction of Exposure.
In the lab, Yang Yi and Suna discussed it for a while and ca to a theory: the system was hiding from sothing or being hunted by sothing.
And given the limited operating hours for world chat and trading, it was clear the system’s control over this ocean was weak.
“That’s about all we can conclude for now,” Suna said, stopping her work. “We’ll need to land on an island later to test how exposure actually works.”
Like Yang Yi, her body was now shedding streams of data, a sign that teleportation was about to begin.
The sa thing was happening to players everywhere. Everyone was making final preparations.
Fleet crews were especially busy, organising mbers, finalising plans, or helping smaller groups temporarily join for easier coordination. Of course, joining a fleet ca with a shell coin fee.
Yang Yi stepped onto the deck and glanced at the distant ships dissolving into data. He drew his flintlock and the Fla Serpent’s Fang.
Once teleportation began, there was no telling where he’d end up, maybe face-to-face with an enemy or a dangerous creature. He wanted to be ready.
[Countdown: Ten… nine… eight…]
The data streaming from both Yang Yi and the Nightmare Star thickened, stretching up into the sky like they were being broken down and transmitted.
All across the sea, the other ships did the sa, forming glowing pillars of data that lit up the horizon.
“It’s happening!”
Yang Yi stayed on guard, watching his surroundings and preparing for whatever ca next.
[Three… two… one… Transfer initiated!]
One by one, ships vanished into the light, their destinations unknown.
The Nightmare Star was enveloped as well and began to fade, or at least, it was supposed to.
When the glow receded, Yang Yi realised the scenery hadn’t changed. The other players were gone, but he was still here.
“Sothing’s wrong…”
A bad feeling hit him hard, though he tried to rationalise it. Maybe there was a delay in the teleportation magic.
But when the massive skyline in the distance disappeared and his ship still hadn’t moved, he knew for sure,
The Nightmare Star had been left behind.
The sea around him had gone pitch-black. Not a glimr of light remained, except for a few wandering ghost flas drifting across the deck.
There was no wind, no sign of other players. The silence was suffocating, broken only by a distant voice cursing into the dark.
“Damn it! You call that teleportation?!”
Yang Yi’s anger flared. It was rare for him to lose his temper.
But he didn’t let it cloud his judgnt. He forced himself to calm down and opened his third eye to scan the area.
Nothing. Not a single anomaly.
The sea was still as death, not a single ripple in sight, but unease welled up in Yang Yi’s chest.
The Captain’s Log had warned that unlit areas were usually more dangerous than bright ones, and to watch for the spread of darkness.
He imdiately contacted Suna and told her to co up to the deck.
She looked confused, unable to believe the teleportation had failed.
But Yang Yi insisted it hadn’t failed at all, this was just a teleportation that returned them to the sa spot.
Either way, they were stuck.
The regional chat showed a player count of zero, aning there wasn’t another player within ten thousand nautical miles.
The ti was 2 a.m. If they wanted to know how the others were doing, they’d have to wait over twenty hours until the world channel reopened.
Yang Yi checked the ocean chart. It had been updated, replaced by the new world map.
But the new map was practically useless.
It showed only the area imdiately surrounding the Nightmare Star. Everything beyond was blank.
Even coordinates were missing, players had to set their own manually.
For example, they could mark their current position as zero and establish others from there.
“What kind of trash map is this? It’s no better than scrap paper!”
Yang Yi cursed under his breath.
At this stage, the map’s only real purpose was to stop players from accidentally sailing in circles.
He opened the weather panel next. Its display had changed too, and even the na of the sea was different.
Today’s Weather
Location: Sea of No LightTi: 2:17 a.m.Sunlight Duration: NoneTemperature: 17°CWind: Calm, Level 0Warning: You are currently in the Sea of No Light. Please exercise caution for your personal safety.
“No Light…” Yang Yi murmured.
Suddenly, Suna’s voice broke in.
“Yang Yi, look at the water!”
He hurried over.
The surface that had been as still as glass was now shrouded in a thin layer of black mist.
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