"Don't panic, speak slowly," Wu Chang said with an unwavering expression.
He wasn't surprised at all. As an A-Level instance on the verge of losing control, shipwrecks and accidents were almost a certainty, and if everything sailed smoothly to the destination, that would be the real surprise.
But in the eyes of his secretary, the Four Great Vajra, and the Sword Star and Negotiation Master following behind, what they saw was unwavering composure and confidence.
What does it mean to remain unfazed even if Mount Tai collapses before your eyes?
Truly worthy of being the actual controller of the Star Heaven Group, the underground emperor of Gao Mu Country, and the elusive character who occasionally refreshes in instances.
Quite the strong support indeed.
The secretary said, "The captain reported that at four in the morning, a dense fog descended on the sea, causing the ship's satellite positioning and electronic systems to mysteriously malfunction, forcing the captain to switch to manual mode."
"According to the planned route, we would pass by Dan Mountain Island around six this morning for resupply. However, upon arrival, not only was the signal beacon of Dan Mountain Island missing, but the island's outline was also absent in the fog."
"The captain is certain that the Star Jump has veered off course, but where exactly it has drifted to can only be determined once the fog lifts and the ship's electronic systems are repaired."
Wu Chang went to the deck on the seventh level, looked down, and saw the passengers below in chaos, many gathering on the lower decks, with the crew doing their utmost to maintain order, urging people back to their cabins.
Ordinary passengers were panicking in the face of the unexpected incident, and even the upper-class individuals on the sixth and seventh floors weren't much better off.
Without even opening the door, one could hear cursing from all around. Unlike the passengers below who cursed the damned weather, the VIPs were cursing the captain and the crew.
Their curses were full of vigor, but everyone knew that, at this moment, they faced nature, adrift on the vast sea, where their power and wealth meant nothing.
In the face of death, all are equal.
In panic, it's the perfect time to gather intelligence.
Wu Chang did not stay in his room; instead, he led his group down to the lower levels of the passenger liner.
Upon reaching the third floor, he indeed found Park Changmin with a group of priests, seizing the opportunity to preach to the frightened tourists.
The tickets for the third and fourth decks of the Star Jump were mostly sold as group packages, and on the third deck, they were contracted by three private high schools.
The passengers were high school seniors on a school trip, having just entered the final year of high school, facing the brutal college entrance examination sprint. This trip was to be their last moment of ease.
Unexpectedly, disaster struck at sea.
After hearing the secretary's information, Wu Chang furrowed his brow and quickly inquired about the students' grade levels, finding out that students in Gao Mu Country start primary school at age eight and that all the seniors were adults, which allowed him to breathe a sigh of relief.
It seemed that large-scale malicious incidents targeting minors were taboo even in the Abyssal Game, and its administrators valued survival instinct as well.
Among the three high schools on board, one was a church school, and they inherently had faith. Though the doctrines differed, the New Cosmos Sect, in its early days, had marketed itself claiming that they and many mainstream denominations worshiped the same supreme deity.
The suspension bridge effect, combined with Park Changmin's persuasion, led many teachers and students to join the New Cosmos Sect's prayer group.
Not only teachers and students, but many originally non-religious passengers, desperate for psychological support to endure their fear, also joined the prayers.
Wu Chang could clearly see that once these individuals joined the prayer, and the thought "if the Lord truly exists, it would be wonderful" crossed their minds, threads would extend from the mystical energy network enveloping the Star Jump and weave into their bodies.
Where the threads entered, invisible cracks would appear on their skin, and within those fissures, an eye gradually took shape.
Disaster and death are the best catalysts for religious spread.
As the New Cosmos Sect gradually took control, there was suddenly a cheer from the crew outside on the deck.
"Look over there! It's land!"
Upon hearing the crew's shouts, people surged towards the deck again, looking in the direction the shouting crew member pointed.
They saw a faint shadow at the two o'clock position of the ship, and people hopefully gazed at the shadow, wishing it was Dan Mountain Island where they were originally supposed to dock.
Unfortunately, their hope was quickly dashed. As the ship turned and approached the shadow, they discovered it was just a dark rock formation.
Other than the rocks, there was nothing else, no sign of human activity.
The shift from hope to disappointment hit everyone hard as they trudged back to the hall, resuming their prayers.
They prayed for the Lord to allow them to see land once more.
Experience proved that one should not think life has hit rock bottom based on a single setback, nor lose hope in their circumstances.
One must believe that fate is not so frail, that it can't reach rock bottom due to just one setback; this is merely the beginning.
It takes facing three or four setbacks, feeling utter despair in life, before considering life to have hit rock bottom.
In the midst of their prayers, a shadow reappeared in front of the ship, rekindling their excitement and cheers for the Lord's greatness.
Yet soon they could no longer smile, as the closer they got to the shadow, the more familiar it looked.
As the ship approached, people confirmed that it was the same rock formation they had passed earlier!
During the first pass by the rock formation, a passenger had angrily thrown a beer can overboard, and that white can was still lying atop the rocks.
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