For three centuries, thanks to the efforts of countless artisans, the smallest astrolabe has been miniaturized to palm size. Since then, even for travel on the continent, those undertaking long journeys gradually abandoned other outdated navigation equipment.
However, to use the astrolabe requires highly specialized skills, and most adventurers still rely on primitive means to confirm their position. Only a few professional guilds have their own navigation officers and navigators.
Hilveld's maritime knowledge comes almost entirely from her family heritage, and Bakins often says that among her peers, few can match his Miss in terms of sailing expertise.
Although most people on the ship consider this to be the bosun's compliment towards his Miss, in the few encounters Fang Hong has had, he has already discovered that his Miss Ship's Officer is indeed exceptionally skilled.
At least the last time they entered the elemental layer to search for the Abyssal Sea passage, it was the kind of expertise only experienced old captains possess.
Of course, having such an outstanding Miss Ship's Officer is only natural for one's own vessel, right?
Fang Hong found nothing curious about it.
The team advanced along the valley, and soon the previously forecasted rain poured down, pelting the crowns of the dense forest and producing a pattering sound. The thick jungle hadn't yet allowed raindrops to descend through the canopy, but the valley was already filled with misty rain.
Before five o'clock in the afternoon, the sky had completely darkened, and the torrential rain made further progress impossible, forcing the team to stop temporarily. Fang Hong ordered everyone to fell a few nearby trees, using the dense branches to make a temporary rain shelter, then pitched tents to take shelter from the rain.
A few hours ago, Tianlan had been enthusiastic, but now she began to complain, soaked through and shivering from the cold. There was no longer the hot and comforting meal prepared by Miss Atira but only cold, hard rations that were just barely edible.
Though the rain shelter was effective, they had already become drenched like wet chickens long before, and the lit bonfire only emitted a faint warmth in the darkness, with men and women separated into groups to dry their clothes.
Luckily, they had anticipated this heavy rain and brought enough spare clothing.
Parker muttered a remark, taking off his leather boots, watching as the water poured out like a waterfall, merging with the stream outside the tent.
The vicinity was the only high ground in the valley; for just a few hours of torrential rain, even if it brought flash floods or mudslides, it wouldn't affect this place. But this doesn't mean complete safety, as no one knows how long the last rains of the season might last.
And sometimes floods bring along herds of beasts.
Fang Hong hung his damp clothes on the wooden rack, watching the steam rise off them, then unstrapped the Clockwork Fairy from his belt, put on the control gloves, and tossed them into the rain curtain outside one by one.
Magic power guidance doesn't come with the risk of short-circuiting; rainwater can't interfere with the operation of flexible constructs, at most it adds a slight burden to flight, but adjusting this balance is no challenge for Fang Hong.
He was thankful he had installed the night vision module in the Silver Bee back then, now it proved useful. In such an environment, even Miss Nightingale was no help, but large-scale surveillance was the Combat Artisan's forte.
This time before departing, he had placed all original constructs on the Seven Seas Traveler, only bringing four Dragon Hunters and over twenty Ranger Cavalry. These Ranger Cavalry were his entire recent production, consuming almost one-third of the Earth Origin Crystal, filling the space inside the Information Crystal to the brim.
Besides these two types of main battle constructs, he brought the most Silver Bees, marking the first time he carried other types of constructs, even more than the Fire Giant.
Fang Hong wanted to see how much combat strength he held without relying on the Fire Giant.
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