On the side of the New World Fleet—Their number of members had already surpassed 3,500.If not for the urgency of the voyage, with no time to recruit more, the fleet’s size would probably have grown even larger.Tens of thousands of players followed behind the New World Fleet, keeping a safe distance ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) of over 20 nautical miles.They had all gathered there with the thought of “might as well give it a try.”After all, the New World Fleet had publicly declared that they were willing to help other players clear the Extreme Winter Sea.Those who believed them—and were within reachable distance—had all gathered together.The New World Fleet only had one rule for these followers—No fires are to be lit on deck.The players were to monitor each other.If anyone’s firelight attracted the Ice Hive Worms, they would be left to die—The New World Fleet would neither intervene nor rescue them.The fleet only guaranteed that their route would be free of large icebergs, carving a relatively safe passage through the sea.***At the front—New World Fleet.Shen Guanquan had indeed come up with a way to deal with the Ice Hive Worms—by using their trait of recognizing fire, not people, to lure them away!The main fleet itself never lit fires on deck.Instead, small scout vessels sailed ahead to ensure the route’s safety.These were ordinary ships chosen specifically for this role.Though they lacked skills, they could travel at speeds of around 55 knots.Each vessel kept a 5 km safety distance from the next,and carried two to three bonfires on deck—enough to repel the white mist while performing reconnaissance.Furthermore, every ship had a fuse—a fuel-soaked cord leading from the deck straight into the cabin,where piles of wood, worm corpses, and other flammables were stored.Once any Ice Hive Worms approached,the crew would ignite the fuse and sail toward a preset coordinate, far from the main fleet.According to Zhao Tietou’s report,the Ice Hive Worms’ flight speed was around 50 knots,with minor individual variation.So as long as they fled quickly enough,it was difficult for the worms to catch up to the small vessels.Even if two or three worms managed to reach one—they couldn’t extinguish the burning ship anyway.When a vessel arrived at its designated coordinate,the pilot would abandon ship and jump into the sea.Because at that coordinate,a submarine called Deep Diver would be waiting underwater to retrieve them.“I cherish every crewmember’s life!But when I command you to die—do not hesitate!Because survival demands sacrifice!And that includes myself!”Shen Guanquan had delivered this passionate speech when announcing the plan.His words possessed a strange, compelling force—they stirred not just belief, but genuine admiration.Almost all members of the fleet trusted Shen Guanquan.Even the reason and composure that had once waned under fear were restored by his rousing words—their stats even improved.It was the effect of Shen Guanquan’s personal talent — Psychological Suggestion & Great Leadership.And, of course, his charisma amplified it all.Thus, the plan proceeded smoothly,without a single objection.When ordinary people of average ability abandoned their quarrels and schemes,and worked together toward a single purpose—the collective strength born from human sociality manifested like a giant machine.Each person was a cog in that vast engine—individually insignificant, yet indispensable.And this wasn’t contradictory.Because even if one cog fell out,the machine would keep running.Shen Guanquan sat in the captain’s cabin of the Hope.He held the latest issue of the weekly bulletin.“One-Eye…”He murmured.After reading the issue,he had essentially given up on recruiting One-Eye.To One-Eye, the New World Fleet would probably be nothing but a burden—a drag on his pace.After all, even the Crystalline Giant—that formidable monster—had been smashed to bits by him.“About a week left before we leave the Extreme Winter Sea.Supplies are enough…”“Seven dead so far, but… that’s a necessary sacrifice.”“Not everyone can survive a chase by Ice Hive Worms…”***Meanwhile, in another distant part of the sea—More than ten ships were linked together, moving slowly forward.Unlike other fleets, this one was eerily quiet,its atmosphere lifeless.Almost no one spoke.At the lead was the Feast,its prow lit by a bonfire, guiding the way.The other ships had crew on deck—but no fires were lit.They stood exposed to –30°C cold,many without even wearing winter clothes.Suddenly, a swarm of Ice Hive Worms was drawn to the bonfire’s glow.The flame on the Feast went out instantly—its captain, Weissman, had kicked the bonfire into the sea.Deprived of their target,the worms lingered briefly before dispersing.The chill left behind by the swarm froze a thin layer of ice over the nearby sea—but it wasn’t thick enough to hinder sailing.To the Lost Ones Fleet, the Ice Hive Worms weren’t frightening.It was the white fog and icebergs they found troublesome.Their life forms had changed—they had taken on the Ghoul Path,no longer needing warmth.Even with body temperatures of –30°C,they could still function, just a bit slower.Thus, to the worms, they weren’t prey—their body heat was too low.Only the captain at the front risked attack,being close to the bonfire.But it didn’t matter—even if his body froze temporarily,he wouldn’t die.Once his temperature rose again,he’d regain movement.Other fleets had their own methods of navigating the Extreme Winter Sea.For instance—the Neo-Human Fleet.Many of them had gained the Blessed One Path.Their stats fluctuated wildly—in constant dynamic change—and their bodies mutated unpredictably.Sometimes their back of the head grew an eye, granting 360° vision.Sometimes their necks stretched, dragging on the ground, making eating difficult.Sometimes their fingers and toes multiplied—or vanished.All of this was… quite normal to them.Those who stayed long in the Neo-Human Fleet came to believe naturally—a hand shouldn’t only have five fingers,nor a foot five toes.Some even grew extra limbs, though rarely.Often, what grew weren’t limbs at all—bone spurs, tongues, buttocks, even extra heads—a full display of species diversity!Their tolerance for deformity was incredibly high.They firmly insisted that they were still human,even if their individual differences were extreme.To face the Extreme Winter Sea,they had their own strategy—forming special assault teams.They sent these squads ahead as scouts—if they survived, the route was safe to follow.Supplies weren’t needed.Before they ever starved, they’d most likely crash and die first.But if they didn’t die—that meant the path ahead was clear,and those who returned received rewards.Verifying their survival was simple—if their account hadn’t been deleted, they were still alive.Through this method,they didn’t even need to light fires to dispel the white fog.They could just sail blindly forward,continually sending out more scouts.This tactic worked remarkably well—they remained among the top-ranked player fleets.They just had a high death rate,but that wasn’t much of a problem.After all,those who died were merely Old Humanswho had yet to awaken a Transcendent Path.And those who survived three days in the assault teams—earned the chance for greater blessings,unlocking transcendence and shedding the shackles of the Old Human form.***Back on the Nyxstar—After roughly a day of sailing,Yang Yi and Suna finally drew near the island.

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