Seren's Bay greeted them with a symphony of sounds they had never heard before—the cries of seagulls soaring above ship masts, the splash of waves against the stone piers, human voices in dozens of different languages mixed with the creak of wood and the clang of metal. Li Yuan stood on the edge of the last hill before the city, his eyes sweeping over a scene that left him awestruck, despite having seen thousands of civilizations rise and fall.
The port was alive like a giant organism breathing with the rhythm of the tides. Dozens of ships of various sizes were moored at piers that stretched like the fingers of a giant hand into the greenish-blue sea. There were small boats with single sails swaying gently, medium-sized merchant ships with hulls full of cargo, and at the farthest end of the harbor, several large, magnificent ships like floating castles.
This is a completely different world, Li Yuan reflected while observing the non-stop activity below. A world that moves to the rhythm of water, not land.
Anna stood beside him, her usually calm green eyes now wide with a mixture of awe and concern. Her hand instinctively reached for Lila's, who stood in front of them with her mouth open, her eyes sparkling at the sight of something that had only ever existed in her wildest dreams.
"Oh my God," Anna whispered, her voice almost swallowed by the sea breeze that carried the scent of salt and fish. "It's... it's like a city that floats."
Marcus joined them, his sharp hunter's eyes sweeping the scene below from a different perspective. He saw not just the wonder, but also the complexity, the potential dangers, and the navigational challenges in a completely foreign environment.
"How many people can live in a place like that?" he asked in a tone filled with curiosity and a hint of worry.
Thomas Aldrich, with his leadership experience honed by months of challenges, was already thinking practically. "We need to go down there and start gathering information about ships that accept passengers. The sooner we know our options, the better."
Li Yuan nodded, but in his Zhenjing, the unease that had haunted him for the last few weeks vibrated with greater intensity. There was something about this place, about the energy flowing between the piers and the ships, that made his understandings resonate in an uncomfortable way.
It's like standing on the edge of a cliff, he realized with a clarity that made him shiver. Not a physical cliff, but a cliff in the timeline of life. A point where everything can change with no going back.
As they began their descent into the city, the differences with their life as land wanderers became more and more apparent. The streets were not made of dirt or grass, but of flattened stone and wood planks nailed into platforms. The buildings stood on stilts that allowed the high tide to flow underneath. Even the way people moved was different—a step that adapted to the constant sway, a balance that had adapted to platforms that were never truly still.
They have learned to live with uncertainty as a constant, Li Yuan observed, watching the local inhabitants move with an grace born of experience. Water never stands still, and they have made that motion a part of who they are.
Lila tugged on Yuan's sleeve, her eyes following the seagulls that perched on the ship ropes with a boldness that showed they weren't afraid of humans.
"Yuan," she said in a voice filled with wonder, "those birds aren't afraid of us. Why?"
"Because they've learned that humans here are part of the life of the sea, not a threat to it," Li Yuan answered, observing the harmonious interaction between humans and nature around them. "They share the same space."
But this harmony is fragile, something within him whispered in a warning tone he tried to ignore. The sea can give life, but it can also take it without warning.
They spent the morning wandering around the port, gathering information about the ships that accepted passengers and the destinations they served. What they found was a world far more complex than they had imagined.
There were merchant ships that carried exotic goods from distant lands, but they rarely accepted passengers due to limited cargo space. There were comfortable passenger ships, but the cost of passage was far beyond the financial means of the Millbrook community. And there were smaller ships, cheaper, but also riskier.
"You're looking for passage to the other side of the land?" asked a local merchant who had been observing them with a puzzled look that clearly showed they were newcomers. "With such a large party?"
Marcus nodded. "Yes. Sixty-nine people, including children and elders. We... we don't have much money, but we have hands and the will to work."
The merchant nodded with understanding. "Ah, you're looking for working passage. That's not easy with such a large number, but..." he paused and looked toward the farthest pier, "there might be one option."
He pointed toward the largest ship in the harbor—a majestic vessel with three tall masts and a hull large enough to hold hundreds of people.
"The Unity," he said with a respectful tone. "Captain Korven's ship. He's preparing a great expedition—a sort of colonization of a new land. He's looking for people willing to work as crew and settlers. If you're serious about starting a new life, that might be your best option."
Li Yuan felt something like destiny vibrating in the air as his eyes focused on the ship the merchant was talking about. The Unity was not just a ship—it was a person's vision of the future, a symbol of hope and ambition poured into wood and sails.
And something about it makes my soul tremble with a fear I cannot explain, he admitted to himself while feeling the Understanding of the Soul in his Zhenjing shake with an uncomfortable resonance.
"We will speak with him," Thomas decided after exchanging glances with the other leaders of the community. "Thank you for the information."
The walk to the pier where The Unity was moored gave them the opportunity to see the ship up close. What they saw left them all silent with awe and a little fear.
This ship was a work of human engineering and ambition. Its hull was made of wood darkened by sea salt and time, but it was still strong and gleaming with meticulous care. Three masts towered high into the sky like giant trees, with intricate rigging forming a complex yet functional web. From the visible structure, it was clear that this ship could hold hundreds of people and a large amount of cargo.
A floating world, Li Yuan realized with an awe mixed with a growing unease. And this world will take us to a place we can never return from.
Captain Korven turned out to be a man around fifty years old with skin darkened by years under the sea sun. His hair was brown with gray at the temples, his eyes blue like the deep sea with a glint that showed someone who had seen many horizons. There was a natural authority in his posture, but also a warmth that indicated he was a leader who cared for his men.
"Sixty-nine people," he repeated the number while looking at the Millbrook community party gathered at the pier. "That's not a small number. And you say you don't have money to pay for passage?"
"No, Captain," Thomas answered diplomatically. "But we have something that might be more valuable—hard-working hands, loyalty, and experience surviving in difficult conditions."
Captain Korven walked among them, his eyes assessing not in a condescending way, but from the perspective of someone accustomed to evaluating people based on character and practical ability. Li Yuan saw how the captain's eyes stopped on Marcus who stood with the posture of an experienced hunter, on Anna who held Lila with a non-possessive protection, on Thomas who spoke with the natural authority of a leader.
He sees what they have become, Li Yuan realized. Not fearful village farmers, but a community that has been forged by experience into something stronger.
"You have lived in the forest as wanderers?" the Captain asked.
"Ten months," Anna answered. "We lost our homes and learned to live off the land. We are not weak city people, Captain. We know how to work hard and take care of each other."
The Captain nodded slowly, and Li Yuan could see that Anna's answer had made a positive impression.
"The expedition I am leading is not a pleasure cruise," the Captain explained in a serious tone. "We are heading to a new land to start a colony. The journey will be difficult, maybe dangerous, and there are no guarantees of what we will find there. We need people who won't panic when things get tough."
"We have faced tough situations before," Marcus said calmly. "We are still here."
Something in this conversation feels like a contract with destiny, Li Yuan felt with a growing unease. Every word brings us closer to something irreversible.
Captain Korven thought for a few moments, his eyes sweeping over the faces that looked at him with carefully guarded hope.
"Alright," he said finally. "I can offer passage for all of you, on the condition that you work as crew during the journey and commit to becoming settlers in the colony we will establish. No money has to be paid, but you must work hard and follow my crew's orders."
This is the moment, Li Yuan realized with a confusing mix of excitement and dread. The moment we commit to a path that will take us to... what?
Thomas exchanged glances with the other leaders—Anna, Marcus, Sarah, David—and Li Yuan could see the silent conversation happening between them. This was a decision that would affect all sixty-nine souls, and they felt it.
"We accept your offer, Captain," Thomas finally said. "When do we depart?"
"One week," Captain Korven answered. "I'm still waiting for some final supplies and a few other crew members who have committed. Use that time to prepare yourselves mentally and physically. Life at sea is very different from life on land."
One week, Li Yuan repeated the number in his mind. One week before we enter a new phase of this journey. One week before...
Before what?
That question haunted him as they walked back to the part of the city where they would camp for their last week on land. In his Zhenjing, the Understanding of the Soul trembled with an increasingly uncomfortable resonance, like a string that was too taut and was about to break.
There's something about that ship, about Captain Korven, about this journey, he felt with a certainty that made him uneasy. Something that will change everything. But I can't see what.
That night, as the community gathered around the campfire to celebrate the new step in their journey, Li Yuan sat slightly apart, his eyes occasionally looking toward the dark sea.
Next week, we'll be on that water, he thought, listening to the laughter of the children playing not far from the fire. Next week, our lives will depend entirely on wood and sails and the wisdom of a captain we just met.
And something in my soul screams that this is a huge mistake.
But it's too late to turn back. The decision has been made, the commitment has been given, and the wheel of destiny has begun to turn.
Anna approached and sat beside him, her warm green eyes looking at his face with familiar concern.
"Yuan," she said softly, "you look... troubled. What's wrong?"
Li Yuan considered his answer carefully. How could he explain a premonition that wasn't based on anything concrete? How could he share a fear about something he himself couldn't even identify?
"I don't know," he said finally, honesty being the best he could offer. "Something about all of this feels... wrong. But I can't say what or why."
Anna nodded with an understanding that didn't demand a further explanation. "Maybe it's just anxiety about a big change. The sea... it's a completely different world from everything we know."
"Maybe," Li Yuan agreed, but in his heart, he knew that this was something far more fundamental than just anxiety about the unknown.
Something is going to happen on that sea, he felt with a terrifying clarity. Something that will test every understanding I've ever achieved, every strength I've ever developed.
And I'm afraid I won't be ready for it.