Chapter 26

In the old world, there is a saying called "the tip of the iceberg," which roughly means that the center of gravity of an iceberg is definitely below the water, and the part that is visible above the surface is insignificant. Whether the situation in the new world is the same, Luo Zhengdao, who does not claim to know much about this world, is uncertain. However, after the first iceberg was discovered ahead, the number of icebergs on the Yangwei's route increased, and their size grew larger. These massive icebergs, floating in the void of the Aether Sea, resembled huge, crystalline diamonds. The sunlight, refracted twice by the icebergs, filled the space above the sea with a bright and blinding light. The sailors on duty on the deck had to cover their eyes with dark, thin fabrics to reduce the harmful effects of the light, thus avoiding the fate of becoming victims of snow blindness.

Wearing a pair of sunglasses made from brown crystal, Luo Zhengdao stood on the deck, watching the warm breath he exhaled condense into a white mist that lingered in the cold air, his expression filled with melancholy.

Beside Luo Zhengdao, Vina was wrapped in a magnificent red fox fur robe, and surprisingly, there was no sign of her bulky figure. She spoke:

"The temperature has dropped significantly today. We are approaching the Frozen Sea. Will, are you planning to seek refuge in the Yaling Empire? Or perhaps you could consider the Elven Federation. Your title as a count would be valuable to them."

Whether it was the Yaling Empire established by the Yaling or the Elven Federation, Luo Zhengdao, who had just arrived in this new world, knew little about them, beyond vague geographical concepts. At present, he knew that the Yaling Empire, which had established naval supremacy, had a very powerful fleet, while the Elven Federation possessed the world's leading economic power outside the main continent. The relationship between the Yaling, Elves, and Goblins was fraught with tension. Beyond this, he knew very little about the actual conditions of these two alien nations.

Given this, what could Luo Zhengdao do in the Yaling Empire? Raise funds to buy a new warship? Going to the Elven Federation would be a blind move, and he couldn't even fully control the current team. Seeking to expand his power would be courting death. The more uncontrollable the force, the quicker the fire would consume the one who played with it.

Luo Zhengdao had studied the dark and dirty aspects of political operations on paper, but once he understood the evil and ruthless methods involved, the shock was immense. The noble faces in history books hid such ugly realities, and anyone would be shaken, even feeling a sense of disillusionment.

When it came to the treacherous and dangerous conspiracies, Luo Zhengdao knew as much as professional politicians. His knowledge, accumulated through diligent study in university, told him that for a refugee like him, seeking refuge with an alien race would be very unwise. If he had good luck, he might be used as a puppet, but he would still be discarded once he outlived his usefulness. If his luck was worse, he might be traded as a bargaining chip. In any case, a bad end was highly likely.

Thinking of this, Luo Zhengdao sighed and turned to the half-elf beauty:

"I don't know! We'll take it one step at a time! We can't shake off those green-skinned pursuers, and we won't find peace anywhere. This is the damned war!"

"Yes! This war has destroyed too many beautiful things. The world I knew no longer exists."

Hearing Luo Zhengdao's soft complaint, Vina Dubov, who felt the ravages of war more deeply, sighed. As a half-elf, she found it hard to belong in either the human or elven world.

Half-elves were like fleeting visitors in the new world, always feeling a strange urge to pack their bags and set off on a new journey, no matter where they were. Vina Dubov, reminded of her sad past by Luo Zhengdao's words, sang a dirge in Elvish, facing the vast ice sea. For Luo Zhengdao, who only understood the common language, the intricate and complex Elvish song was difficult to understand, but the sad and melancholic atmosphere and the half-elf beauty's ethereal voice, reminiscent of the goddess of the moon, Sarah Brightman, touched the hearts of the listeners.

Thinking of his uncertain life in this new world and the loved ones he had left behind in another world, Luo Zhengdao's eyes welled up with tears.

"Captain, we don't have enough cold-weather clothing, and the sailors are freezing."

Suddenly hearing the boatswain's shout, Luo Zhengdao frowned and turned to Vina Dubov, who nodded in understanding and said:

"I can set up a temporary heating array in the hold to maintain a normal temperature on the lower deck. The sailors can reduce their shift intervals and should be able to hold out for a day or two."

Luo Zhengdao, frowning, knew this was a temporary solution, but he had no better ideas. He turned and asked:

"Alas, our plans can't keep up with the changes! Vina, Zola, do you know the nearest supply port? We urgently need to replenish our supplies. We didn't have time to procure them at the Mili Atoll, and those damned green-skins came too quickly."

The boatswain Zola, with a stern face, said without emotion:

"The Mili Atoll is the closest, but we probably can't go back. The other option is..."

Realizing the only possible answer, Vina Dubov and Zola said in unison:

"The Goblin Garden!"

The Elves and Yalings both originated from the Goblin Wilderness, and these two races were considered close relatives. Other intelligent beings of the fey, due to their small population, were unable to establish their own nations. The saying "Better to be the head of a chicken than the tail of an ox" might not exist in the new world, but many intelligent beings shared similar thoughts. These fey creatures simply migrated out of the Goblin Wilderness and established their own city-states in the outer realms and the main material plane, including the main continent and the seven seas.

The Goblin Garden was founded by goblins, whose maximum height did not exceed twenty centimeters. These small creatures had decent spellcasting abilities but were too weak to resist external threats.

Most of the time, the goblins relied on advanced illusions to hide their tracks. It was said that the Goblin Garden was built on an iceberg, drifting freely in the Aether Sea with the currents and mana winds, making it a very mysterious port city. With no other choice, Luo Zhengdao agreed to this temporary anchorage. Vina Dubov took charge of navigation, and the Yangwei and Chaoyong turned to head for the Goblin Garden to seek supplies to survive the harsh climate of the Frozen Sea.

"Will, that rainbow is the guiding sign."

After two days of rough seas, the three-masted battleship Yangwei and the two-masted schooner Chaoyong, with Vina Dubov holding a telescope, excitedly pointed to a faint rainbow in the distance and spoke non-stop.

Luo Zhengdao, not daring to be too happy, having encountered too many misfortunes during his escape, turned to the helmsman, Zola Hegel, and said:

"Maintain a steady course and be cautious of floating ice."

The saying "a mountain may be seen from afar, but a horse may not catch up" applies to sailing as well. The brilliant rainbow visible in the morning only allowed Luo Zhengdao's fleet to approach the Goblin Garden by dusk.

"Too beautiful!"

Luo Zhengdao stepped off the ship and onto the land of the Goblin Garden, unable to contain his admiration. He opened his eyes wide, trying to find the right words to describe the picturesque beauty of the Goblin Garden. A sparkling green diamond in the ice sea was the most fitting metaphor. Luo Zhengdao regretted not studying harder in the past, as his literary foundation was too weak to describe the perfect blend of natural beauty and artificial artistry in the Goblin Garden.

The location of the Goblin Garden was so secret that its defenses were not very strong. This was like an assassin who could not afford to wear heavy armor, as the cost was too high.

"Welcome, do you have any candy? Dingle wants candy!"

On the wooden pier, Luo Zhengdao and his group, enjoying the fresh air of the Goblin Garden, were greeted by a small goblin who flew around Luo Zhengdao's head, chirping and demanding candy.

Dizzied by the rapid movement of the flying creature, Luo Zhengdao quickly pulled Vina Dubov in front of him as a shield and asked:

"Uh, Vina, do we have any candy on the ship?"

The half-elf beauty, amused, covered her mouth and laughed, saying:

"Of course, didn't you forget? We agreed to keep the spices that the Elves and Yalings like."

Hearing this, Luo Zhengdao was taken aback and asked in surprise:

"What, is sugar considered a spice?"

The others were used to the count's frequent astonishment over common knowledge, and Vina Dubov, showing a dimple on her left cheek, laughed:

"Of course not, what else could it be?"

Speechless, Luo Zhengdao could only blame himself for his lack of knowledge about the new world. He then said to the still flying goblin:

"Uh, hello, that... we have candy on the ship. Do you want some?"

"Yay! Dingle wants candy, lots and lots of candy!"

Dealing with the goblin Dingle, whose intelligence did not exceed 9, was a challenge for Luo Zhengdao, no matter how eloquent he was. Talking to this little creature was like talking to a duck, and the more he talked, the more mistakes he made. It was better to keep quiet and save his energy.

After landing in the Goblin Garden, the pirates relaxed and walked on this magical land, their spirits lifted from the cold and hunger of the past few days. The sailors laughed and played. If observed from the perspective of a穿越者 (穿越者 means "穿越者" in Chinese, which can be translated as "穿越者" in English, but in this context, it means "穿越者" or "穿越者"), Luo Zhengdao immediately noticed many wondrous and incredible fantastical sights. The Goblin Garden was indeed a magical place filled with enchanting charm. Whether it was the lush green plants growing on the ice or the vibrant flowers blooming in the freezing climate, every blade of grass and every flower was shrouded in the mysterious colors of a magical world. It was easy to imagine that living in such a dreamlike and beautiful place would be a very tempting proposition, even for a穿越者 (穿越者).

The goblin Dingle, flying back and forth, led the pirates around the dock. When Luo Zhengdao returned to the Yangwei, most of the spices on the ship had already been unloaded.

ps: This week's ranking efforts have been weak. Please support! pp, please throw it over!

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