"Is the captain interested in that place?" Hilveld keenly sensed his intention.
"Did she say what kind of place it is?"
Hilveld shook her head, "Miss Beiji is very tight-lipped."
It's more than just tight-lipped; she's absolutely silent. Fang Hong had seen stingy penny-pinchers before, but they were nothing compared to this lady who won't budge without concrete evidence.
However, he actually did have some interest in that place, provided it's real. But it seemed likely enough, and he had long been curious about the high quality of the Earth Origin Crystals held by the Art of Conflict Guild. The purity of the Primordial Crystal Stones in common crystal mines rarely reaches this level unless there's a different origin.
Therefore, Fang Hong had a vague feeling that the other party might not be lying.
But as of now, it's still undecided. Although Luo Hao's words were exaggerated, they did hold some validity, so he decided to observe further and discuss this matter once they reached Kailan Ao.
Fang Hong then looked at Miss Atira. Among everyone, he still trusted this sisterly figure the most.
"What does Miss Atira think?"
Without even thinking, the Elf Miss responded, "Let Ade decide."
And so, she passed the ball back again.
Of course, Fang Hong understood that the Elf Miss was by no means shirking responsibility; she might genuinely think this way.
However, the words themselves carried many meanings because Fang Hong knew that if Miss Atira sensed anything wrong, she would certainly speak up.
Her lack of opposition effectively equated to default approval.
The vote was three to one, so Luo Hao's proposal was unsurprisingly killed instantly.
Only the Big Catfolk continued to smile, "I haven't voted yet, Ade."
"Even if you vote, it would be three to two, Mr. Reed."
"Ah, Ade, while the outcome won't change, the process of expressing opinions is important, isn't it?"
"Alright," Fang Hong was a bit surprised, "Mr. Reed, do you support Luo Hao's view?"
"No, I support Miss Atira's view."
Fang Hong: "..."
Then why did you even say anything?!
...
Finally, Walnut from the hold also came over to explain, "Sorry, Captain Ade, Beiji was born in Orlenze and hasn't left there many times all her life. The people she knows and the experiences she has are only those involving us... So she might genuinely be unaware of the matters above the Sky Sea, nor the rules that should be adhered to aboard the ship. If there's any offense, it's probably because we haven't explained things clearly. If punishment is needed, please punish me instead."
But Fang Hong had no intention of imprisoning anyone; he just shook his head to indicate that this matter was inconsequential.
Yet, as the Big Catfolk had said, he also found the peculiar girl quite interesting. She probably didn't realize that the fare she paid was more than enough to go not just to Golande but even to distant Rotao.
The Seven Seas Traveler continued north along the Old World's Ladder and, after passing Mount Eldron, would enter Beikao. Although it was not necessary to head to the perilous Golande, they could simply disembark them nearby. The lands surrounding the royal capital were quite safe, essentially the first rookie zone of the Colin Ishurian Alliance, and with protection from Walnut and his group, they should safely reach Golande.
But they needed to cross Mount Pieriad and enter the second highest peak of the Old World's Ladder. Once they reached Lake Tear of Obey, the Descendants of Flor should understand their next move. They would undoubtedly set up an encirclement near Kailan'o Pass. If the Seven Seas Traveler couldn't break through, they'd have to take the pirate route through Saint Hugon Corner, which would be far from Beikao.
So Fang Hong decided not to think about this for the time being, waiting until everything was settled.
The subsequent voyage was uneventful, with no similar incidents occurring. The Seven Seas Traveler moved out of the Great Rift Valley and headed directly towards the Lake Tear of Obey region upstream. The journey was smooth, likely due to the recent combat, which held the pursuers at bay.
The only battle they encountered was with a group of berserk wind elements following a sudden downpour. This battle turned out to be the toughest they had won recently, with Tang Xin and Ai Xiaoxiao both leveling up to level thirteen during the combat. After the battle, the wind elements left them a batch of Wind Elemental Crystals, enriching the ship's reserves.
Next, they entered the territory of the War Lizard People. Walnut's remaining companions were waiting for them nearby, bringing the remaining Earth Origin Crystals and news about Lake Tear of Obey.
Since the Fenris event, the Lizardman race had become unwelcome in the Nogness region, with War Lizard People facing exclusion everywhere, forcing most of them to leave the human world, with many returning to Lake Tear of Obey.
As tensions between the Colin Ishurian Alliance and the Lizardman race grew, the War Lizard People also closed all passages to and from the Lake Tear of Obey area and sealed the airspace.
Although they still allowed merchant ships and Invoker's exploration ships entry after paying a hefty passage fee, all military ships affiliated with the Colin Ishurian Alliance and airships from guilds under the Super Competitive League were prohibited from entering the area.
This situation, in turn, offered the Seven Seas Travel Group a lifeline. About a week before the rainy season ended, the Seven Seas Traveler docked in the Lake Tear of Obey area and entered a Lizardman town called Patchiwa.