Extreme Cold Era: Shelter Don't Keep Waste-Chapter 579 - 543: Top Secret Flight

The secret voyage is naturally quite dull, even for well-trained crew members, such a monotonous journey can be quite hard to endure.

Typically, the captain would allow the crew to relieve stress through the consumption of indulgent goods.

This is also one of the reasons why sailors were mostly drunkards during the age of sails, because at sea the only things they could use to relieve stress were alcohol, goats, and good-looking crew members. 𝕗𝕣𝐞𝐞𝘄𝐞𝚋𝚗𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗹.𝚌𝕠𝚖

In the original world's Cape Town in Africa, a good goat could fetch an exorbitant price.

For the captains of that era, missing a couple of barrels of fresh water wouldn't kill anyone, but missing a goat would be a serious problem.

Thus, in Europe's religious myths at the time, the devil grew horns and hoofs like a goat.

But with the advent of the industrial revolution, the motive power of sea vessels saw great improvement, along with the enlargement of ships, giving crew members more space for activities and greatly improving living conditions, leading to the gradual eradication of the habit of bringing goats aboard ships.

However, the consumption of indulgent goods remained constant, as no matter in the original world or in this world, sailors were not considered human aboard their vessels.

In the original world, even the strictest submarine soldiers were allowed to go up to the deck for a smoke when the submarine surfaced, to relax their nerves.

Naturally, aboard the Flying Airship, which inherited many sea vessel habits, crew members also maintained such customs.

In each voyage's supplies, alcohol and cigarettes undoubtedly occupied a large portion, even more important than food and fresh water.

Even when the temperature outside the Flying Airship had dropped to below ten degrees Celsius, where breath would turn into ice, it still couldn't stop the crew from using maintenance passageways to go outside and enjoy a cigarette.

Smoking inside the cabin was strictly prohibited because flammable materials were abundant inside the Flying Airship, especially the airship's balloon, even though Perfikot considered fire safety during design, it couldn't ensure absolute fire prevention.

Therefore, anywhere capable of contacting these parts was a key fireproof area.

And due to this, although smoking was possible via maintenance passageways outside, it could only happen on the lower deck's outerside.

Considering the bow was the windward side, few wished to go there to catch cold winds, so most of the time the crew went to the maintenance platform near the stern, where it was sheltered from the wind and close to the boiler room.

Relatively warmer surroundings, coupled with the engine room's noise, provided cover for conversational content, allowing crew members to discuss more private topics.

But this posed a minor problem, to descend from the upper deck, one must pass through the stern cabin where two key passengers were residing for this voyage.

This resulted in crew members discussing most who the mysterious person was and what their journey entailed every time they went for a smoke.

However, as Navy personnel, although they discussed this topic fervently, none dared to audaciously spy.

After all, everyone understood what a secret mission entailed; knowing unauthorized information truly could be perilous.

As the crew debated their trip's purpose, Weir in the cabin was coordinating related matters with Perfikot.

The mysterious person was indeed Perfikot, it's rather easy to guess.

She orchestrated various tactics to create an illusion that she remained in the Northern Territory, aimed at deceiving some people to enable her to extricate herself.

While the Northern Territory brought Perfikot power, it also imposed shackles and constraints, compelling her to consider her Lord of the North identity when pursuing certain actions.

Much like this time, if she accomplished this as the Lord of the North, the attention it drew would be immense, undermining the purpose.

Therefore, she employed various means to conceal her whereabouts, so others wouldn't trace her movements.

"After going through all this, and using me to draw attention, do you think it'll truly fool those fellows?" Sanderion, reverting to his original name, asked Perfikot.

Perfikot responded calmly to this question: "As long as it deceives them temporarily, giving me enough time to complete the entire setup is sufficient."

Even within the cabin, Perfikot never removed her hood, adding an extra layer of mystery to her demeanor.

"If it's merely delayed temporarily, that poses no issue, estimably no one in the Northern Territory will suspect your departure, as long as your decoy maintains its facade, others would rarely fathom your departure," Sanderion remarked, seated on a bed within the cabin, exuding a casual and relaxed air: "Regarding my end, I'll selectively release my whereabouts, directing their attention toward me, likely providing you some cover."

However, I surmise this approach's effect won't last very long, once you begin, exposure becomes inevitable.

"Rest assured, achieving cover until operations commence is ample, once everything initiates smoothly, other concerns become insignificant." Perfikot's voice was cold, harboring a detached aloofness.

Sanderion remained unfazed by this, merely asking curiously: "How's your preparation? Besides, need any additional water?"

"Not for the time being, with your provided laboratory, our plan unfolds smoothly, though uncertain whether it adheres to the timeline, yet I believe everything will proceed favorably." Perfikot replied with an unusual tone, adding: "Please ensure careful handling of the cargo aboard, guaranteeing its successful delivery."

"Understood, rest assured, with my escort, should problems arise, arguably no one on this planet could ensure its safe arrival," Sanderion asserted confidently, repositioning to lie on the bed, muttering aloud: "By the way, in that laboratory lies one of my hundred-year-old works, albeit incomplete, it's my most proud creation, curious if you can restore and finish it?"

"I'm unsure, I never make guarantees on unassessed items," Perfikot replied indifferently, making it impossible to discern her current mood.

Sanderion pursed her lips in mild dissatisfaction, reluctantly grumbling, "So dull! I surely won't..."

The mumbling was indistinct, rendering the latter half of her comment unintelligible.