It is said that in the distant and cold Frigid Sea, an organization called the "Northern City-State Union" is being established in the night.

The legendary "Iron Vice Admiral" led his undead army to dominate the night, and took control of the situation before the tension accumulated between the city-states due to lack of sunlight reached its extreme point. Cold Harbor and Port Morpheus were the initial supporters, and signed a covenant under the witness of the Sea Mist.

Now, a powerful joint fleet has been established to protect the safety of those city-states that lack sunlight in the increasingly dangerous and distorted night. The "Sunlight Distribution Committee" jointly established by the city-states and the church is closely monitoring the fragments of the sun that fell on the sea to ensure that the afterglow of these doomsday rays can illuminate the darkest places in the long night in time.

Heidi put down the newspaper in her hand and looked up at her mother who was sitting next to the candlestick. The generator in the city had been repaired, and now bright electric lights illuminated the living room again, but her mother still asked her to put a candlestick in the living room and make sure that at least one candle was lit at all times.

"Now, no city-state in the north is allowed to own solar fragments for a long time. The 'Sunlight Distribution Committee' rotates those fragments between city-states to prevent abnormal changes in some places due to being in darkness for a long time," Heidi said the news she heard when she went to the city hall before. "So now the northern city-states are actually taking turns to 'own the daytime'. Large engineering ships towing solar fragments cruise on the cold sea, and each 'little sun' maintains the safety of each city-state..."

She paused for a moment, then continued, "And this way, the shipping activities between city-states that had been suspended for a while have also been restarted. Cargo ships can set out together with the engineering ships that are towing the solar fragments. Although the overall efficiency is lower than before, at least the logistics operations between city-states have been restored..."

She paused, thought for a moment, and could not help but sigh from the bottom of her heart: "Really amazing... It seems that the 'Steel Vice Admiral' is not an 'Undead King' who rules with terror as some rumors say..."

"Rumors are rarely credible. Don't forget that the Lost Homeland is still looking for hope for us at the end of the world," said the mother, sewing with a smile on her face. "Is that what you heard from the city hall?"

"The newspapers don't have that many details," Heidi pointed to the newspaper on the table. "I heard from the people in the secretary's office that the details about the Northern City-State Federation and the Sunshine Distribution Committee were not made public in the newspapers, but they are not confidential either."

Mother thought for a moment and slowly spoke: "Really... Then it seems that we will soon have our own city-state federation and sunshine distribution committee."

Heidi was stunned for a moment, she didn't seem to think so much.

"This is a good way to survive. Now, as long as we can survive in the night, the city-state managers can take action. If this news can reach your ears, it means that this matter has at least been halfway promoted among the archons," the mother said casually, with a tone that seemed to be a little comforting. "The northern city-state has made a good start... The 'Iron Vice Admiral' showed us a feasible way. As this news spreads, no matter what ideas the city-states in other seas have in private, they must consider this plan openly."

"...What if those city-states that have obtained the sun fragments are unwilling to cooperate?" Heidi understood what her mother meant, but she couldn't help but feel a little worried. "After all... not everyone is so selfless."

Mother thought for a moment and suddenly asked a seemingly irrelevant question: "It is said that the church's fleet docked at the military port west of Plande two days ago?"

"Yes, the Deep Sea Church's 'Abyss' and the Academy of Truth's 'Logic' are leading their respective escort formations," Heidi nodded, "They said they stopped here on their way to inspect the safety of the sea area."

"That's right, Heidi," the mother nodded with an indulgent smile on her face. "Guess why the first step for the 'Steel Vice Admiral' to establish a city-state federation was to build a joint fleet under his control?"

Heidi finally showed a hint of realization on her face - she was a respected psychiatrist and an outstanding scholar at the Academy of Truth, but she was obviously a little slow to react outside of her own professional field. But even so, she had understood it by now.

"Heidi, we should celebrate. After so long in the dark, something good is finally going to happen," said the mother with a smile on her face, as she slowly stood up and walked towards the kitchen. "I'll go make some of my specialties, and you take out the bottles of fine wine your father has collected - we'll open a bottle, he won't mind."

"Oh...oh," Heidi agreed subconsciously and stood up, but then she suddenly remembered something, "Ah, but my father has stopped drinking, and he gave away all his wine..."

"In the basement, there is a wooden box next to the white shelf. It looks like it has only one layer, but there is a raised wooden block on the side that can be pulled open to reveal a mezzanine," my mother said casually. "Also, there are five bottles of wine in the box stool behind the shelf at the deepest part of the basement. You can pick one and bring it up."

Heidi was stunned: "..."

The mother turned back in front of the kitchen with a triumphant look on her face: "How could I not know him?"

※※※

On the bow of the Lost Homeland, Morris suddenly felt a chill in his heart. Although there was almost no wind in this calm sea, he felt that the cold wind almost blew through the oil pump and miniature steam core of his cast body.

"What's wrong with you?" Vanna noticed some noise coming from Morris' body and asked curiously.

"It's strange... This body shouldn't be afraid of the cold, but why do I feel cold inside?" Morris muttered, wiping his pipe. "It feels like something I treasured suddenly disappeared, or something in a bank safe was taken away..."

The old scholar was halfway through his words when the captain's voice came from behind him: "Your description reminds me of an old man... The good things in his house were stolen by monkeys."

Morris turned around and saw Duncan standing in front of him with a subtle expression.

"I haven't heard of this story," the old scholar looked a little confused, "What is 'monkey'?"

Duncan thought for a moment: "...an animal, just treat it as if it lives in the warp."

Morris was immediately filled with awe and stopped asking questions. Vanna, who was still analyzing the original topic seriously, suddenly looked at the old scholar seriously and said, "Could this be a warning from the God of Wisdom? Did you predict what is about to happen?"

"That's not the case. It's not that serious." Morris waved his hand quickly. "If it's really a revelation from the Lord, it's not just a chill in my heart. It's probably that my wife found the wine I hid again. It's not a big problem."

"Oh," Vanna nodded, and soon stopped paying attention to this question and turned her attention to the captain. "Captain, when will we leave this sea area?"

When it comes to business, Duncan's expression immediately becomes serious.

He raised his head and looked at the black island with a huge palace in the distance, as well as the wreckage of Leviathan that was looming in the mist around the island. Then he reached into his pocket - a slightly cool metallic touch came from his fingertips.

That is the "second key" used to wind up the doll.

"We will stay here for another half a day. I need to study the 'route' that Gemona gave me," he said seriously. "Before I 'come back', pay close attention to the movements inside and outside the ship, especially to see if there are any changes in the nearby sea surface. If there are any changes, record the situation."

Morris nodded immediately: "Understood, Captain."

Duncan turned and left the deck.

The scene was quiet for a while. Vanna turned around and looked at the large and small black islands in the distance in a trance, without saying a word for a long time.

"What are you thinking about?" Morris asked beside her.

"...Since I was very young, I often heard the sound of waves in my dreams. In my dreams, the waves hit the rocks gently and slowly," Vanna said softly, "and after completing my studies at the church, I learned how to pray. When I prayed, I could always hear the sound of the waves... The Storm Codex said that it was the sound coming from the Kingdom of God."

She paused, and after a moment of silence, she raised her hand and pointed to the calm and silent sea in the distance: "But listen - there is actually no sound of waves here. The sea is so calm, as quiet as death. Only when the ship is sailing will the water make some sound."

The gentle sound of the waves echoed in her mind, as if soothing something.

"These are the sounds in His memory," Vanna said softly after a moment of silence. "He said that He had not seen the rough sea for many, many years. He even almost forgot what it looked like when the wind blew up the waves."

Morris didn't say anything, but slowly put the unlit pipe in his mouth and stayed calmly with Vanna.

※※※

In the captain's bedroom, Alice looked at the brass key with unique shape with curiosity.

"I have a new key!" She looked surprised and sounded quite happy. After taking the key from Duncan's hand, she turned it over and over again. "The structure of the handle is different. The previous one had a lying 8, but this one has a circle with an arrow through it? What does this circle mean?"

"It probably refers to the 'outer barrier' surrounding the Infinite Sea," Duncan said casually, looking helplessly at the heartless puppet in front of him, "Can't you be a little nervous? No one knows what will happen after this key is turned."

Alice tilted her head and thought seriously, and felt that she should be nervous.

"It seems... yes," she scratched her head, her tone a little uncertain, "I am a little nervous, but no matter what happens, you can definitely handle it, right?"

Duncan was stunned when he heard this, sighed helplessly, and then laughed.

"Yes," he picked up the new key and nodded slightly to Miss Doll, "Just leave it to me."