Travel through time, and then establish an anomaly management bureau!

Page 34

The Qiu family members—Yuanhao, Yuanfeng, Yuanhai, Yuanping, Yuanzhi, and the young Mingyuan and Yuanyuan—were all dressed in white mourning clothes and knelt on either side of the coffin to keep vigil.

According to the customs of the rare people, this vigil will last for three to five days, depending on the weather.

Zhang Su was shocked when he learned this. They were clearly from two different worlds, so how could their customs be so similar? Could it be that this was a tradition etched into their DNA?

Upon hearing footsteps, Yuan Hao Qiu was the first to raise his head. Seeing that it was Zhang Su, he immediately stood up respectfully, and the rest of the Qiu family members followed suit and bowed.

This time, not only members of the Qiu family were present for the vigil, but also the spouses of Yuan Hao and his generation. Married wives and husbands, as well as engaged fiancées, were all there. However, they did not sit around the coffin, but rather on chairs two meters apart.

According to custom, these women from other clans only need to fulfill the most basic etiquette.

"Your Excellency, you've arrived." Yuan Hao's voice was hoarse with sorrow as he bowed deeply.

The others also bowed and greeted him in unison, "Your Excellency."

Zhang Su nodded slightly in return, his gaze sweeping over the sorrowful and weary faces of the crowd before finally settling on the coffin: "I have come to bid farewell to Master Dongyuan. I must depart today."

Upon hearing this, Yuan Hao's eyes were filled with a mixture of gratitude and sorrow. He stepped forward and spoke sincerely with a hint of barely perceptible reverence: "Your Excellency is so kind. My father was greatly indebted to you during his lifetime, which relieved him of his suffering; and after his death, you personally came to pay your respects and send him on his final journey. Such kindness is truly an honor for the Qiu family."

The other clansmen, apart from Mingyuan and Yuanyuan who were still immersed in great grief and huddled together sobbing, also quietly echoed Zhang Su's sentiments, expressing their heartfelt gratitude.

"Please accept my condolences, everyone." Zhang Su politely nodded in response to everyone's thanks, his tone calm.

The crowd tacitly stepped aside to make way for the coffin.

Zhang Su slowly stepped forward and walked to the coffin.

Dongyuan Qiu lay peacefully inside, his face cleaned up. Though pale, he showed no signs of pain, as if he were simply sleeping.

Zhang Su lowered his head and gazed at the aged yet serene face. After a moment, he spoke softly, repeating the words the old man had spoken before the Blood Sea Illusion dissipated, when the old man's consciousness was fading:

"Having shed worldly cares, return to the vast wilderness. Rest in peace, Master Dongyuan."

A deep, clear voice echoed in the silent mourning hall, carrying a comforting power.

Hearing this classical Chinese phrase, which conveyed a sense of liberation and transcendence, the Qiu family members were filled with mixed emotions. They bowed their heads deeply once again, immersed in their sorrow for the deceased and in their resonance with Zhang Su's words.

The only sounds in the hall were the faint crackling of the burning candles and suppressed breathing.

About thirty seconds later, Zhang Su raised his head, his gaze calmly sweeping over everyone, and said, "Well then, farewell."

As the head of the family, Yuan Hao Qiu stepped forward on behalf of the clan, placed his hands together in front of his chest, and performed a solemn ancient ceremony. His voice was dignified and full of blessings: "May the Dragon God favor you, grant you a bright future, a smooth path, lasting blessings, and eternal glory."

"May the Dragon God favor you and grant you eternal glory on your future path!" The rest of the Qiu family members also offered their blessings in unison, their voices converging into a sincere and warm current.

Zhang Su smiled and nodded: "I appreciate your kind intentions. Take care, everyone."

He then turned around and walked steadily toward the entrance of the hall.

The Qiu family watched his figure disappear into the light outside the door, and the mourning hall was once again shrouded in deep silence.

However, just as Zhang Su stepped out of the heavy gate of the Qiu family mansion and onto the bluestone pavement of the street outside, he heard hurried footsteps behind him.

"Your Excellency! Please wait!"

Zhang Su stopped and turned around.

Mingyuan Qiu, holding his younger sister Yuanyuan Qiu's hand, ran out to catch up.

The two children's faces were still wet with tears, and their eyes were red and swollen, but at this moment, their eyes were filled with utmost respect as they looked at Zhang Su.

"Your Excellency!" Mingyuan looked directly at Zhang Su with reverence in his eyes, his voice clear and youthful yet tinged with nervousness, "Where are you going next? Will...will we ever see you again?"

"Yes, Your Excellency, can we meet again?!" Yuanyuan asked, nodding her little head vigorously.

Zhang Su lowered his head slightly, making his gaze level with the two children, and said gently, "As long as I am not dead and you are still alive, there will always be a chance to meet again in this vast world."

When Mingyuan and Yuanyuan heard this answer, they were taken aback for a moment, seemingly surprised by these words that were not a promise but were even more so.

Then, the two children looked at each other, their eyes shining brightly, and nodded vigorously and earnestly.

"Yes!" Mingyuan clenched his little fist, his voice firm. "Your Excellency, we made a promise! When we grow up and become stronger, we will definitely come to find you! You...you absolutely cannot die, you must live well!"

"Yes! Your Excellency must live and wait for us!" Yuanyuan added firmly, her pretty face full of solemnity.

Zhang Su's smile deepened, and he reached out to gently ruffle the hair of the two children: "Okay, it's a deal. I'll wait for you."

He nodded to the two children again, then turned and continued walking forward.

Just as he had taken a few steps, Mingyuan and Yuanyuan shouted with all their might behind him again. The sound pierced through the noise of the street, carrying the fearless courage of young people and their boundless hope for the future:

"Your Excellency—! We will strive to become stronger! We will become extraordinary beings as powerful as you! And then—we will go and rescue the other rare families still enslaved by those 'evil main lineages'! Your Excellency—! If you hear our story elsewhere in the future, please remember us! Remember Mingyuan and Yuanyuan of our Qiu family branch—!"

This time, Zhang Su did not turn back.

He simply raised his right hand and casually waved it behind him.

The movement was relaxed and casual, as if shooing away a flying insect, or bidding farewell to a gentle breeze.

However, this simple waving gesture was clearly seen by the eagerly anticipating eyes of the two children behind him.

No lengthy promises, no grand vows, just a gesture, a silhouette, is enough.

Sometimes, the weight of a promise lies not in the number of words spoken, but in the connection of hearts and the silent response at that moment.

Zhang Su's figure blended into the crowd on the street and gradually disappeared into the distance. Mingyuan and Yuanyuan stood in front of the Qiu family's building, gazing in that direction, motionless for a long time, their small fists clenched tightly, wanting to deeply imprint that figure and that promise of waving goodbye in their hearts.

……

The midday sun scorched the massive steel hull of the "Hailongji," its huge smokestacks spewing thick smoke, and its whistle blaring a deep, resonant wail, announcing its departure.

Zhang Su leaned against the smooth teak railing of the top deck, the hustle and bustle of the Muyun Port dock below gradually fading away.

His ticket led him to Miga, one of the six shining pearls of the Calidor Empire, a city shrouded in countless mysterious shadows.

This choice stemmed from the thick book, "An Introduction to the Scenery of the Six Major Cities of the Empire," which I read last night in my room at the White Whale and Anchor Inn.

This meticulously bound and beautifully illustrated city guide, while depicting the magnificent "Bridge of Bones" and the splendor of its towering Gothic spires, also features a chapter printed in dark red ink titled "The Secret Whisper," which prominently records three eerie rumors that immediately made Zhang Su sit up straight and piqued his interest...

Its bizarre, terrifying, rule-distorted, and bizarre consequences—each one was like a cold hook, firmly gripping Zhang Su's curiosity and his sense of mission as the "Director of the Administration Bureau."

The city of Migai was like a sponge repeatedly soaked in an unusual force, exuding an aura of "opportunity" that was irresistible to Zhang Su.

His intuition told him that this city itself was a vast mine of anomalous events! Upgrading his strength, enriching the Bureau's "collection," and uncovering the truth behind the veil—this was the perfect place!

So he immediately asked the hotel reception to book a one-way first-class ticket for the "Sea Dragon Ridge" to depart for Miga the next day at noon.

At this moment, the propellers of the "Hailongji" stirred the azure sea, and the massive ship steadily sailed away from the harbor.

On the dock, crowds waved handkerchiefs and hats, their cheers and farewells faintly audible. The sun shone brightly, seagulls circled overhead, a scene of prosperity and peace for the voyage.

However, this scene sent a chill down Zhang Su's spine.

The champagne and laughter at the start of the Titanic, the calm before the approaching shadows of the deep sea in The Beast of the Deep... those classic images of maritime disasters flashed uncontrollably through his mind.

The brighter the sun and the more jubilant the crowd, the more it felt like a carefully laid "death flag" in a disaster movie. A chill tinged with self-mockery made him subconsciously rub his arms.

"Tsk, this terrible ability to make associations..." Zhang Su muttered under his breath, shaking his head vigorously, trying to shake off these ominous thoughts along with the sunlight.

He decided to stop looking at the dock, which was full of "flag" connotations, and turned away from the railing to begin exploring the huge interior of the "Sea Dragon Ridge" and filling his senses with realistic details.

The "Hailongji" was a large ocean-going passenger ship with a displacement of approximately 12,000 tons. It was powered by advanced coal-fired steam turbines and had three main decks and a huge double bottom for ballast water and some cargo. Its structure was comparable to a maritime steel fortress.

The lower decks and lower compartments: this is the heart of the machinery and the underlying ecosystem. Steam fills the huge boiler room, and the robust crankshafts roar and turn in the engine room.

The cargo hold was piled with wooden crates and sacks.

The third-class cabins, located at the front of this deck, consisted of densely packed bunk beds. The air was thick with the smells of engine oil, sweat, and cheap food. The passageways were narrow and dimly lit. The passengers were mostly migrant workers and vendors, carrying heavy luggage and a sliver of hope for a new life.

The middle deck is much more spacious. It features well-equipped second-class cabins with small portholes, a spacious public dining room serving hot meals, a smoky bar/card room, an activity room with basic exercise equipment, and even a small library with a collection of popular novels and travel guides. Passengers are predominantly middle-class—businessmen, teachers, and government employees with their families—and the atmosphere is relatively relaxed.

Upper Deck and Bridge Area: A Kingdom of First Class. The expansive teak deck features comfortable wicker lounge chairs and awnings. The cabins are bright and airy, each with its own ensuite bathroom. The luxurious salon boasts thick carpets, velvet sofas, and a grand piano, with enormous windows offering panoramic sea views. The fine dining restaurant serves silverware and cuisine from across the Empire.

The bridge towers high, its brass microphones and complex instrument panels gleaming; the passengers are all wealthy and noble, impeccably dressed and elegant, the air filled with the aromas of perfume, cigars and coffee.

Holding his first-class ticket, Zhang Su strolled across the various decks, making his observations.

On the lower deck, dark-skinned laborers carrying heavy packs huddled around the ventilation shaft, sharing coarse bread and salted fish. Their eyes held both the sorrow of leaving home and the longing for the "land of opportunity" in the city of Miga.

In the mid-level restaurant, a well-dressed but not extravagant family is dining. The father is using a makeshift telescope made of rolled-up newspaper to amuse his child by showing him the seagulls, while the mother is carefully tidying up her napkins.

In the upper salon, several bejeweled ladies chatted quietly about the latest fashions and operas, while gentlemen gathered around the bar, discussing the business situation in the city.

In a corner, an elderly woman, dressed simply but impeccably clean, sat alone with a thick holy book on her lap, her fingers silently turning the prayer beads, her gaze calmly fixed on the boundless sea.

However, among all these diverse characters, what Zhang Su cared about most were the two people standing in a secluded spot on the starboard bow.

A young man who looks to be no more than twenty years old.

He was tall and slender, wearing a perfectly tailored, luxuriously made dark gray custom suit with an impeccable collar and delicate cufflinks subtly visible on the cuffs.

His profile was sculpted to perfection, and his skin was pale from being deprived of sunlight for so long. This should have been an age of youthful vigor and high spirits, but at this moment, he was shrouded in an inescapable gloom.

He gripped the cold ship's railings tightly with both hands, as if they were not railings but the throat of an enemy.

Those eyes, which should have been bright, stared blankly into the depths of the surging waves. There was no youthful vigor in them, only unfathomable pain, anger, and a strong sense of resentment at being toyed with by fate.

A suppressed, almost tangible negative emotion lingered around him like a low-pressure system.

Half a step behind him, like a shadow, stood a middle-aged man with a stocky build and a calm face.

The man's clothes were also of excellent quality but more conservative and practical in style, like those of an experienced butler or bodyguard.

He lowered his eyelids slightly, his posture respectful but not humble, and most of his attention was focused on the extremely tense back of the young man in front of him.

His eyes held a complex mix of concern and worry, but above all, a steadfast will to protect and a profound loyalty.

That was no ordinary master-servant relationship; it was more like a loyal knight protecting his young lord who was mired in a quagmire.

Zhang Su's gaze lingered briefly on the two men, his brows furrowing slightly. It wasn't because of their appearance or demeanor, but because his keen senses had detected an extremely faint "strange aura" emanating from the young man.

It wasn't the smell of blood or decay, but a deeper, more fundamental sense of "ominousness."

Like the invisible mark left after being entangled by unclean things for a long time, or like the sulfurous smell permeating the edge of a volcano about to erupt, it silently proclaims danger and disaster.

This aura bears a resemblance to the lingering pollution that Zhang Su sensed at the scene of the unusual event.

"An unlucky fellow entangled with 'anomalies'... or is he a source of trouble in himself?" Zhang Su murmured to himself, his eyes sharpening and filled with curiosity. "It seems this journey to Migai City won't be boring."

He subtly shifted his gaze, seemingly only attracted by the birds flying where the sea met the sky, but in his heart, he had already quietly added this master and servant pair, who exuded an aura of "trouble," to his observation list.

The "Sea Dragon Ridge" cut through the azure sea and sailed steadily toward the distant "city of strange tales"—Migai, shrouded in countless eerie mysteries.

The unknown undercurrents on the ship seemed to foreshadow the turbulent journey even earlier than the deep-sea currents.

Volume 1: Chapter 32: Setting Sail, Testing Extraordinary Items

A deep, resonant ship's horn sounded three short and one long note over Hailong Port, signaling the start of the voyage and drowning out the hustle and bustle of the docks.

Immediately afterwards, a slightly distorted male voice came from the brass loudspeakers hanging throughout the ship, speaking in the common language of the Calidor Empire:

"Attention passengers, the 'Sea Dragon Ridge' is about to set sail. Passengers on deck, please stay away from the railings and watch your step. Please do not throw objects into the sea. Thank you for your cooperation and have a pleasant journey."

As the announcement ended, the passengers who were originally scattered on the deck were drawn to the ship's side as if by a magnet.

They excitedly waved handkerchiefs, hats, or simply used their arms to greet the crowds seeing them off on the shore.

On the shore, an equally enthusiastic response erupted. Shouts, whistles, and children's screams blended into a boiling sea of ​​emotions. Farewells between relatives and blessings between friends intertwined, filled with the sadness of parting and the anticipation of a new journey.

Zhang Su also leaned against the railing of the highest deck, gazing at the vibrant scene below.

Sunlight shone on people's faces, some beaming and some tearful, while the port buildings appeared and disappeared in the thin mist of steam.

"Unmoor! Raise anchor!" The captain's command came faintly through the megaphone.

On shore, sailors in dark blue overalls deftly untied the thick, seawater-soaked mooring lines, which slid into the water like giant pythons or were quickly pulled back to the ship's side.

A loud scraping sound of metal hinges came from the bow of the ship—the anchor was being slowly lifted by a steam-powered winch, bringing up murky seawater and the attached seaweed.

The ship vibrated slightly, and the propeller began to churn the azure seawater, pushing aside the white spray that rose behind it.

The massive steel behemoth finally left the harbor slowly and resolutely, heading towards the vast ocean.

Zhang Su watched the gradually receding dock and the blurry outlines of the crowd for a while, and the sense of alienation that he felt as a time traveler resurfaced in his heart.

Ironically, in his previous life he couldn't even afford a sleeper berth on a train, let alone a first-class seat on a high-speed train, but now, thanks to his "skills" and unexpected wealth, he's enjoying a top-class cabin on a passenger ship in this other world.

This "luxury" didn't bring pure pleasure; instead, it was mixed with an indescribable absurdity and loneliness. He twitched his lips, unsure whether to be happy or sad.

Then he turned and headed to his first-class cabin.

The corridor leading to the first-class lounge was carpeted and dimly lit. Just as he turned a corner adorned with brass wall lamps, two familiar figures appeared ahead—the father and son who exuded an "odd" aura, the gloomy young man and his rock-solid guardian.

Zhang Su slowed his pace, keeping a distance of about two meters, and followed behind at a leisurely pace.