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Chapter 254 : A Bountiful Return, The Treasure Map
Chapter 254: A Bountiful Return, The Treasure Map
Night deepened.
The sea breeze carried a chill as it swept over the island.
Large bonfires crackled and blazed on the beach, dispersing the surrounding darkness and cold.
The repair work on the Seagull was still ongoing.
Wе̄b́ n̂ ô v̀ е̊ l̇ Е nu ḿа
The sound of hammering was drowned out by the crashing of waves against the reefs.
Gauss’ team and the other sailors sat by the bonfire, waiting for the chubby chef uncle to prepare dinner.
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Plenty of meat and dry rations had been brought down from the ship—there was no need to worry about food.
For some reason, watching this scene—
Gauss suddenly felt a strong sense of déjà vu.
Late night, a sea island, a bonfire.
Еn umа .і ď
After pondering for a moment, a smile curled at the corner of his mouth.
He knew where the familiarity came from.
Memories from his past life surfaced in his mind unbidden.
That era when short-form entertainment videos were highly popular.
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He often came across commentary clips of movies or TV shows.
An accident, survivors stranded on a deserted island—wasn’t this the classic opening to a suspenseful thriller story?
Е ń umа̊ ..і̃ d
Although the Seagull’s hull breach wasn’t that severe, it did cause them to stay the night on the island.
「Gauss, what are you thinking about?」
Arya noticed him staring at the bonfire with a mysterious smile and grew curious.
「Nothing, I was just thinking—doesn’t this scene feel like the start of one of those bard tales? Where an adventuring party faces disaster and gets stranded on a deserted island?」
Arya blinked.
She looked around at the sailors sitting around the fire waiting for food, and then at the Seagull's silhouette in the distance—lurking like a beast in the night. She couldn’t help but laugh.
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「It really does. So next, are we going to discover a mysterious island ruin, stumble upon a lost civilization, or unseal some ancient curse that’s been dormant for a thousand years?」
「Still, we’re much luckier than real shipwreck survivors. At least we have a hot meal to eat.」
As soon as she said that—
Not far away, the chef walked over carrying a large pot of food.
「Chicken soup’s ready!!」
Gauss’ team was still the first to enjoy dinner.
Ёṅ u̇ m å
Tonight’s chicken soup was very fresh—because the chicken had been freshly slaughtered. They’d been raised on the ship as a supply of fresh meat.
Perhaps worried that they’d grow tired of fish and salted meat meals, the chef had switched up the menu for them tonight.
Dilarang mengopy novel dari Enuma.id.
「Thanks.」
After thanking him, Gauss looked toward the depths of the jungle.
「Shadow hasn’t come back yet?」
After they had landed on the beach by small boat, Shadow had said she was going to scout the surroundings and then vanished into the darkness.
W̄ е b́ no v ёl Ẽ n ũ.ma
「Let’s wait for her a little longer.」
Although they could have set aside a portion for her, Gauss decided to wait and eat together when she returned.
Arya and Serandur weren’t very hungry either.
After waiting for a while, just as Gauss began to feel a tinge of unease—debating whether to go look for her in the direction she’d disappeared—
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A black shadow swiftly slid across the ground from the bushes, arriving before them in the blink of an eye.
The shadow then rose from the ground, coalescing into a tall, slender female form.
Еnu m̈ a_
Shadow had returned.
「Was the scouting smooth?」
In response to Gauss’ question—
Shadow glanced at the sailors cheering as they ate.
She hesitated for a moment, then nodded, and also shook her head.
She opened her palm.
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A pale yellow crystal and a cluster of pale green mushrooms rested quietly in her hand.
Gauss leaned in to examine the items she’d brought back.
He first picked up the pale yellow sulfur crystal, rubbed it between his fingers, then leaned closer to smell the faintly glowing pale green mushrooms.
「Sulfur and Deathshroom.」
He turned his head to look at the tall mountain behind them.
「So that mountain—could it be an active volcano?」
Ẁ ĕ b́n о v̆ е̃ l̊ Е̂ nu m̂ â
The smell of sulfur was typically associated with volcanic or geothermal activity.
「Most likely,」 Shadow nodded, her voice still cold and quiet.
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「As for the Deathshroom, it usually grows in areas rich in magical energy and filled with piles of corpses,」 Gauss said thoughtfully, stroking his chin. 「Despite the name, it’s not an inherently evil thing.」
The presence of Deathshroom was certainly thought-provoking.
On this remote island far from the mainland, what could have led to so many corpses piling up?
Normally, even if elite monsters or an entire monster tribe hunted in the vicinity, they wouldn’t go out of their way to bury large numbers of bodies in one spot.
Ěn̂ û ḿ а
It was far more likely they’d dump them randomly out of laziness.
Gauss glanced back at the sailors happily enjoying their dinner. After a moment’s thought, he ultimately chose to say nothing.
「Let’s be more alert for the night watch, alright?」
He had a hunch that this island wasn’t simple.
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But with a ship full of ordinary folk around, now clearly wasn’t the right time to investigate.
So Gauss quickly suppressed his curiosity.
Е̃ n̆u̇ m̊ ȧ
Perhaps if the time was right, they could return and explore again.
Dinner ended.
Despite Captain Ferne’s kind persuasion, Gauss’ team insisted on assigning one of their own to join the Seagull's crew on night watch.
Tonight, the 「Foldable Cabin」 that Serandur had redeemed came into use for the first time.
Under the curious gazes of the surrounding sailors, Serandur placed what looked like an ordinary leather satchel on a relatively flat patch of sand.
Murmuring a spell softly—
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The next moment, a wondrous transformation occurred.
Within a few breaths, the satchel unfolded and extended on its own like a living creature, rapidly assembling and expanding.
In moments, a multi-room cabin spacious enough to comfortably house several people stood firmly on the beach.
The house had a matte dark-brown exterior, faintly inscribed with runes—enchantments for reinforcement, soundproofing, and warding.
The sailors gasped in amazement.
Ferne had to get up and shoo them away with a laugh.
Е̇n_ǔ m̂ а̊. і̃d̈
「Enough gawking, get going. Hurry up and pitch your tents!」
「Captain, you all go rest. I’ll wake you when it’s your turn,」 Serandur offered.
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He’d been the least active today, mostly tending to the wounded aboard, and was still in good spirits.
「Then I’ll leave it to you.」 Gauss didn’t object.
He quickly opened the door and entered the Foldable Cabin with Shadow and Arya.
The door shut softly behind them.
W.е̄ b̀ n̆о̀.v ӗl Еǹ ů mà
In an instant, the noise and chill of the sea breeze outside were sealed away.
The interior was far more spacious than it looked from the outside.
Gentle magical lights illuminated the living room, and a faint, refreshing scent of herbs and wood filled the air.
「Wow, the interior is surprisingly well-furnished,」 Arya exclaimed as she inspected the place, clearly impressed.
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It was her first time inside as well.
「It really is,」 Gauss was also pleased. Compared to a tent, the comfort level was simply worlds apart.
Е̊ ṅ u.ṁ.а̃
The cabin had two floors, with six rooms in total, besides the living room, kitchen, and bathroom.
They had more than enough space to stay comfortably.
「Conserve the house’s energy,」 Gauss reminded. 「Remember to turn off the lights when not in use.」
Everything inside the Foldable Cabin was powered by a single magic stone serving as the energy source.
One of those cost several gold coins.
Far more expensive than electricity bills in his past life.
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「Mm.」
Soon, the three of them separated, each choosing a room they were satisfied with, and fell into a deep sleep.
The next day.
Gauss stretched lazily.
He had taken the last night watch shift.
Aside from him, several crew members of the Seagull were also on duty.
Е̌ ñú m а̌
At this moment, a glowing red sun was slowly rising over the horizon where sea and sky met.
The long night had finally passed.
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With that thought, he glanced again at the distant mountain.
Last night had not been peaceful.
There had even been a noticeable tremor, akin to an earthquake.
Everyone asleep had been jolted awake by the violent shaking.
Е̌ nüṁ а̂
Only after confirming that the tremor did not intensify further did they all return to sleep, overwhelmed by fatigue.
By the time the sailors gradually woke up—
The crew of the Seagull had no intention of lingering on the island, not even for breakfast.
After checking the repairs to the breach on the Seagull, the sailors on the beach rowed back to the ship in small boats.
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Raise the sails—set sail!
The Seagull swiftly left the vicinity of the island.
W е̄ b ńо̀v̄ è ĺ Еnum̈.а
Everyone was unsettled by the tremor during the night.
Had it not been too dangerous to travel at night, they might have fled right then and there.
Fortunately, it all ended without incident.
「Let’s return to Sena quickly,」 Ferne said, staring at the vast ocean, eager to go home.
The Seagull cruised smoothly along its return course, the morning sun dyeing the sea in golden red hues.
On deck, the sailors, though still slightly shaken, wore expressions of joy as they busily tallied and organized their spoils.
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The main haul came from the second encounter with the Goblin Pirates.
All valuable items from their mothership had already been dismantled and transported onto the Seagull.
The spoils included: three light ballistae removed from the ship, a reinforced iron-plated ram, several pieces of special ironwood panels, scattered canvas and ropes.
A small pouch filled with a mix of gold, silver, and copper coins—plunder hoarded by the Goblins over time.
Some intact gold and silver ornaments—necklaces, rings, bracelets, etc. Slightly disappointing was that they were ordinary decorations, not magical items.
In addition, there were damp spices, several bundles of decent-quality furs, and many iron tools and implements.
Ẃé b̈ n̊ӧ v̆e l Еn̈u mā
Clearly, quite a few merchant ships had fallen prey to them.
But now, these had become a substantial gain for Gauss and the others.
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Monsters with a bandit-like profession were actually quite popular—after all, they lived off raiding others, and thus carried far more wealth than typical monster groups.
If this had been in Graystone Town, the commission would likely have been snatched up immediately by one of the many commission-grabbers waiting in line—Gauss’ team wouldn’t have stood a chance.
But in the East District branch of Sena City, Gauss’ group enjoyed a bit of privilege and could choose commissions ahead of others.
That’s how they managed to secure this lucrative job.
Ӗn̈ům̈а
Even the other thirty-something crew members were delighted.
While Gauss’ team feasted on meat, these soup-drinkers could also share a handsome portion of the profit.
The reward from this commission would be enough to let them go without work for quite a while.
Of course, most of them would likely return to the sea soon after a brief stay on land.
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That was the fate of sailors—going to sea was their livelihood. They had to spend long stretches on the ocean, and being back on land felt unfamiliar.
Not far away, Captain Ferne walked over to Gauss holding several rolled-up charts.
Е n ǔ m̈ ӑ. і̇ d̂
「These are nautical maps of the surrounding area. They might be useful to you,」 he paused, 「There’s also this inside.」
He pulled out a slightly aged, frayed piece of tanned leather from the charts and handed it to Gauss.
Gauss took a closer look.
Crude markings were drawn on the leather in dark red cinnabar ink.
From what he could make out, the twisted lines represented coastlines or mountains. Among the patterns were several ambiguous markers and a line of blurred text—apparently written in an ancient dialect.
「Looks like a treasure map—actually kind of convincing,」 Gauss observed.
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Ferne waved his hand dismissively.
「Keep it if you like, but don’t take it too seriously. In these waters, there are no less than eight or ten thousand so-called 『treasure maps』 floating around. Most of them are either the work of bored fools or scheming fraudsters. Who knows which unlucky merchant ship those Goblins looted this from? Just treat it as a novelty keepsake.」
Gauss didn’t decline.
He reached out and accepted the so-called 『treasure map』.
The drawings were quite abstract—even if he wanted to follow the directions, he wouldn’t know where to begin.
Perhaps the written text was the key.
Е̌ n̈û m̃ а̄. іd̊
He could learn the Tier 1 spell 《Comprehend Language》 once they returned and see if it helped.
However, 《Comprehend Language》 wasn’t all-powerful—its functionality was quite limited.
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When dealing with ancient scripts, it could only parse surface-level meanings, while deeper secrets remained undecipherable.
「Thanks. I’ll keep it and take a look when I have time.」
The Seagull sliced through the waves.
Unknowingly, another day passed.
Е̂ n̊ u m̃а
By morning, the Seagull was cleaving through the azure sea, its prow parting two trails of white spray. The southeastern harbor of Sena City gradually emerged into view, growing clearer.
The noise of the docks, the cries of seagulls, and the bustle of stevedores came and went—land life surged into their senses.
The lively scene brought a sense of nostalgia to Gauss, who had been away from land for several days.
Since they needed a place to sell the spoils from this voyage, the Seagull didn’t return to the small port where they had departed, but instead sailed into one of the larger, more prosperous main harbors closer to Sena City’s commercial district.
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As the Seagull slowly pulled into its berth and dropped its heavy iron anchor, the clamor of the docks enveloped them.
Gauss surveyed the harbor—its bustling sights filled his eyes.
Е ǹ üm̄ а
All kinds of ships were moored nearby: majestic multi-masted vessels, massive deep-sea merchant ships many times the size of the Seagull, and several heavily armed ships bearing the banners of prominent adventuring parties, their cold metallic gleam reflecting under the sunlight.
「That’s the armed ship of the Serpent Adventuring Party!」
Noticing Gauss’ gaze, Ferne offered an explanation.
Hearing the name, Gauss turned to look at Serandur.
「No relation to us Half-Serpents.」
「Right. The Serpent Adventuring Party is one of the most famous large local adventuring groups in Sena City. Their leader, Kidd Vives, is a powerful bloodline warlock with serpent lineage,」 Ferne continued.
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This wasn’t classified information—it was widely known public knowledge.
「Vives…」 Gauss muttered the familiar surname.
From the same family as Adele?
In all the days they had spent together, she had never mentioned this name. But then again, aside from an initial, formulaic introduction tied to completing her family’s commission, she’d barely brought up anything about the Vives family.
Were they not close?
Or perhaps… she really wasn’t familiar with them?
W̆ eb̊n о́v̂ е̌.l Е́n̄ u m а̃
After all, Adele had spent much of her early years adventuring alone. Only recently had she been summoned back to Sena.
While the group exchanged murmurs—
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A tall man stepped off the largest armed vessel, flanked by a retinue.
He wore an opulent robe, long black hair cascading to his waist, and a pair of serpent eyes that just so happened to glance toward Gauss and the others.
Those emotionless pupils paused for a second on Gauss and Serandur, then, after saying something to his entourage, he boarded a waiting carriage and departed amid countless envious stares from the crowd.
After the departure of the serpent-eyed man, one figure from the group that had disembarked turned around and began walking toward Gauss.
En̆ ŭ ṁ а̂
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