Chapter 189. DE1344

Chapter 189. DE1344

The other crew members gathered around with their watchful gazes locked onto Charles as he crouched to inspect the skeleton in further detail.

Every feature seemed ordinary—except for the golden tooth that stood out like a sore thumb. Charles pried it out and held it to his eye level to examine it closely. He noticed some sort of a pattern on the shimmering gold surface. Brushing his finger against the carving, it seemed to be the engraving of a naked woman.

"Do any of you recognize this mark?" Charles questioned as he held the tooth up for his crew to take a better look.

The crew craned their necks forward and exchanged glances. A newly recruited sailor raised his hand eagerly and answered, "Governor, I know. It's—"

"Call me Captain!" Charles snapped.

Startled, the sailor slightly cowered back and quickly corrected himself. "Captain, I recognize this mark. It's the symbol of a notorious pirate group. I heard from the victims of their raids that a golden tooth with such an engraving like this was their distinctive trait."

"Pirates, huh... Which area are they usually active in?"

"They are long gone, and no one knows how. But there are rumors that they offended the Governor of Whereto, and he wiped out these golden-toothed pirates a few years ago," the sailor replied.

The information held little value. Charles discarded the golden tooth on the ground with a flick of his wrist.

"Let's move. We continue our search," Charles commanded and led the group ahead. Chart your course back to the origins of this substance at n0v^lbin

Within the dark and gloomy building complex, Dipp expertly twirled a dagger with his left hand while using his right to scratch an itch on his neck. The terrifying surroundings had little effect on him. He even had the time to tease the companion walking next to him.

"Big guy, Mosicca is actually willing to let you come on this voyage?"

"I call the shots at home," James said as he rasped his fist against the solid walls to check if there were any hidden chambers.

"Tsk, the whole of Hope Island knows about your family situation. Drop that act~"

James' face turned a shade darker, and he remained silent, refusing to engage in further conversation with Dipp.

"Let's go, it's empty here as well." Dipp then rose to his feet and headed toward the exit.

Soon enough, the entire crew gathered once more on a smooth, paved path. Puzzlement filled their faces. They had searched every nook and cranny of the island, but they had found nothing. In their long history of island exploration, an experience like this was the first.

"Stay calm. We've got one place that we've yet to explore," Charles commented. All gazes followed him to peer at the looming, oppressive mountain in the distance.

As they approached the mountain, its details were gradually revealed before them. It looked nothing like a natural formation. The rock face was unnaturally smooth, as though a giant being had used a blade to carve and shape it with precision.

Just as Charles was pondering over this question, a cacophony of squeaks echoed from within the doorway and soon, a colorful pack of mice emerged.

"Mr. Charles, there are many empty rooms in there. No signs of threat, not even a fly," Lily translated the mice's squeaks.

"Any documents or nautical charts?" Charles inquired.

Lily turned to her mice, and after a brief exchange with them, she returned her gaze to Charles and nodded. "Yes, there's a wall inscribed with some text."

"Let's go, have them lead the way."

Charles then followed after the mice with brisk steps and his crew members in tow. The interior was just as the mice had described. The layout resembled a vast office space but devoid of any furnishing or bodies.

The surrounding walls were made from thick concrete, reminding Charles more of a military facility than anything else.

"Where's the text inscription you mentioned?" Charles asked Lily.

"Over here," Lily cried out. "There are stairs leading to the 10th floor."

Their footsteps echoed through the dark, expansive stairway as they ascended.

Second floor, third, fourth...

Charles wiped his slightly sweaty palms against his clothes. Strangely, he would very much prefer to have some creature leaping out at them than to have this unnerving silence.

"Everyone, keep an eye on each other. Report immediately if you sense something amiss, or if someone's missing or if there's someone extra," Charles instructed.

The crew's acknowledgment echoed in the stairwell.

Not long after, they arrived at the 10th floor.

Charles' eyes landed on the text on the wall.

V12 Containment Site Safety Precautions

Any experiments involving Project DE1344 require the authorization of four doctorate-level scientists of rank A or higher.

Communication with any entity, termed 1344-1, that emerged from DE1344 is strictly prohibited. An exception applies only to negotiation specialists. The specialist must persuade 1344-1 to return to DE1344. If persuasion fails, a special task force should be promptly dispatched to eliminate 1344-1.

In the event of an AK-level apocalypse, DE1344 is the Foundation's last hope. All members at the V12 Containment Site shall serve as seeds of the Foundation and must proceed into DE1344.

A strong sense of unease weighed down on Charles' heart as he read the ominous words, especially the mention of an AK-level apocalypse. Previously, he had been skeptical of the Pope's gibberish nonsense. Now, a seed of belief had started to sprout within him.