Banster's response was simple, direct, and honest.

Luen didn't even react for a moment.

"Then why are you saying so much?" the short, plump Luen couldn't help but mutter. "With so much doubt, I almost thought you were going to seal up the Church Ark today..."

"I'm just emphasizing the risk behind this," Banster said, his expression unchanged. His thin, bloodless face looked extremely serious. "We all know what happened on the thirteen islands of Visellan back then—'the sinking of the islands' is just a more moderate and euphemistic way of putting it. The essence of the matter was a large-scale connection between our real world and the subspace. That sea area is still not stable enough, and those Leviathans..."

"It's safe, Banster."

Luen calmly interrupted him, his blue eyes seeming to be soaked in the faint light of calmness and wisdom.

"I'm not some crazy scholar who would bring border relics into the civilized world on a whim. Those Leviathan corpses were first subjected to ten years of research and verification in the experimental waters of the Academy of Truth. Only after all the unstable factors were eliminated did I decide to transform them into Church Arks!"

Banster was silent for a moment. It wasn't until a dozen seconds later that Frem broke the silence with a deep voice: "In any case, we had to build the Pilgrimage Arks' at the time. Luen took some risks, but without those Arks, we would probably have lost contact with the Four Gods by now!"

In the dark space of chaos, the four figures fell silent at the same time. Sometimes I really can't help but think...were the four Leviathans that appeared on the eastern border really some kind of gift from fate?

Luen shook his head and muttered softly, "Without them, the Academy of Truth couldn't have built the Pilgrimage Arks that could serve as earthly divine kingdoms, and our other options at the time had little chance of success..."

"Friends, I admit that I concealed many details about those Leviathans, but I hope you understand that was after all, the collapse of the border!"

"When I delivered the Arks back then, I told you not to be curious about their origin. Just treat it as a miracle!"

"A gift from fate!"

Banster slowly opened his mouth and said, "If I could, I really wouldn't want to hear that sentence. It gives me the feeling of a bloody sacrifice, sacrificing the countless lives of the thirteen islands of Visellan to that ship in exchange for today's four Pilgrimage Arks!"

"You can't say that. There's no evidence to prove that the appearance of the Leviathans was the work of the *Lost Country*. It's just that all things in the world are connected, and the appearance of some things just happened to be related to others."

Luen comforted him, "And as for that ship, it sails on the boundless sea. Whether you want to admit it or not, its master has regained his humanity. The warning from the *Lost Country* is like the warning Captain Duncan gave a century ago when he discovered the border collapse phenomenon. It's something we must face and take seriously, just as I often say..."

"Truth does not shift based on human attitude because it is eternal." Banster waved his hand. "I know I've heard you recite these things so much that I've developed calluses!"

Helena looked up at Luen, then at Banster, and after hesitating slightly, she said, "Banster, if you still feel uncomfortable, why don't you try talking directly to that 'Captain Duncan'?

"See his current attitude, and even confirm with him the truth about the thirteen islands of Visellan back then! Although he's now publicly declaring that his memory is damaged, if you personally contact him!"

Before she could finish her words, Banster waved his hand forcefully!

"Helena, of all your outrageous ideas, this is one of the most outrageous!"

"Okay, I'll just say it!"

"At this stage, we still need to be cautious about communicating with the *Lost Country*." Luen also said in a timely manner, "The current level of contact is already quite bold. Going any further!"

"We must consider the influence of the subspace. We cannot allow the Pilgrimage Arks to be contaminated in any way!"

Frem, who was like a rock giant, slowly moved his gaze when he heard this, and swept his eyes over the three popes who were talking! "Then the three of you still had your saints abducted onto the ship!"

Helena and Luen spoke at the same time: "They weren't abducted onto the ship."

Banster waited until the two of them finished speaking before slowly adding: "My saint is still in the church. What boarded the ship was just a shadow!" The next second, the chaotic and dark space suddenly fell silent again, and a somewhat awkward and subtle atmosphere seemed to be lingering between the four of them!

In the end, Luen was the first to break the silence: "In any case, none of you should have revealed the truth about the Leviathans' at the bottom of the Church Arks to your saints, right?"

"No," Helena shook her head first. "Although I immediately thought of the Leviathans when Vanna mentioned the amazing structure below the city-state, I didn't reveal anything to her!"

Banster also shook his head: "Rather than increasing the troubles of my subordinates, I prefer to find you, the old guy, to figure out what the hell is going on. Although it seems that you don't know much either!"

Frem shook his head for the third time: "My saint wasn't abducted onto the ship!!!!!!"

Three voices finally said in unison: "Are you done yet?"

"It's right not to reveal it for the time being." Luen glanced at Frem, the rock giant, with some helplessness, then retracted his gaze and nodded to Helena and Banster, "There's too little information right now, and we also need to first find a way to confirm what's going on under the city-state, and confirm whether the information from the *Lost Country* is correct before making the next arrangements!"

He paused and added, "And when the conditions are right, we can contact that ship again through our respective saints. As for now! Let's first discuss the remaining parts of the *Lost Country*'s warning!"

Everyone's expressions became serious with his words!

"I'll give my opinion first," Banster said first. "I think we need to establish a monitoring system that spans across the Church, the city-state, and the ocean-going fleet in response to the warning from the *Lost Country*... The coverage should be wide, and the coverage area should be comprehensive, because if the content of that warning is true, and the Ancient Gods really exist in all things, then any uncovered blind spot could become the epicenter of the next Frost Crisis!"

"On this basis, the patrol fleets of the major churches must also make corresponding adjustments, just like being vigilant against the Border Collapse!"

"Back then, we..." Helena looked at Banster in surprise!

"It seems that Luen's worries just now were unnecessary. You're paying enough attention to the warning from the *Lost Country*. I thought you would question all the information from that ship because of the influence of the thirteen islands of Visellan incident!"

"It is precisely because of the influence of the thirteen islands of Visellan and the recent Frost Crisis," Banster said with great solemnity, his tone low and serious.

"These events have convinced me of one thing: anything related to that ship cannot be a small matter. Therefore, I will keep a close eye on everything related to that ship, more closely than anyone else!"

The dark sea surface was rapidly returning to normal, and the chaotic shadows covering the sky were gradually filled with sunlight. The sky and the sea returned to their bright, warm, and peaceful appearance, and the faint green flames that permeated the entire ship gradually subsided and converged as it left the spirit world!

The spirit flames on Duncan's body also gradually faded away. He released the helm and felt the surging power gradually calm down!

The helm began to fine-tune itself, and creaking sounds came from deep within the ship. Goat Head took over control of the ship, and the speed of the *Lost Country* decreased again, gradually returning to its standard speed during peacetime cruising!

As soon as Duncan left the bridge, Alice ran over excitedly: "Captain, Captain, are we in the south?"

"How is that possible? Do you know how far it is from Frostwind to Clearwind Port?"

Alice scratched her hair. "Oh, I saw you slowing down, and the *Lost Country* left the spirit world state, so I thought we were there..."

"Sinking to the real world to get some air," Duncan said casually. "Prolonged deep航行 in the spirit world is not good for physical and mental health. There are still several normal humans on board!"

He stopped halfway through his words, then shook his head!

"Returning to the real world to blow the sea breeze and bask in the sun can relieve the pressure of long-distance航行, and the *Lost Country* itself also needs to rest!"

"That's true," Alice nodded slightly, with a happy smile on her face. "They are indeed quite relaxed, and they are much more relaxed after returning to the sun!"

Duncan knew that the "they" in the doll's mouth referred to the buckets, ropes, and pots and pans on the ship. He didn't know when she had developed such a good relationship with the living things on the ship. She could even see the "emotions" of those noisy things!

But those were all good things!

"Goat Head is responsible for steering next. I'll rest for a while," Duncan said to Alice, "Tonight's dinner is griddle cakes, fish steak, and vegetable soup!"

"Aye!" Alice immediately agreed happily! Then the doll lady looked up at the sky!

The sun was gradually sinking near the horizon, and the outer ring of the dual-rune circle had already begun to sink below the surface of the sea!

"Then I'll go cook first!" Alice shouted, and turned and ran towards the kitchen!

Duncan smiled and watched Alice's figure disappear behind the cabin door at the end of the deck!

Then he took a light breath, turned around, and came to the door of the ship's fitting room at the stern of the deck...!

*Door of the Lost Ones!*

Duncan's gaze swept over the row of letters on the door, put his hand on the doorknob, and pushed the door open!