Shrouded Seascape

Chapter 672: Touchdown

"You don't have to eat humans anymore?!" Charles asked. He was so excited that he grabbed Anna's shoulders and shook her vigorously. "Can you really survive on human food now?"

The two portions of breakfast were meant for two people, and there were only the two of them in the Captain's Quarters.

Anna found Charles' excitement to be oddly amusing. "Stop shaking me, okay? It's not that big of a deal. Anyway, let me just show you."

With that, Anna took two perfectly toasted slices of bread and spread some of the soft baked beans on them to make a simple sandwich. Then, she swallowed it whole without chewing it.

In the face of Charles's hopeful expression, Anna held up a finger, asking him to wait. Moments later, she took the steaming cup of milk and gulped it down. Anna then proceeded to annihilate her breakfast.

Once she was done with her meal, Anna shoved her fingers into her chest and tugged at something. The skin on Anna's chest was peeled back, revealing a unique set of internal organs.

Anna's lungs and heart were connected, while her remaining organs looked quite different from the organs of human beings. However, the most peculiar-looking of them all was her stomach, which was round and purple.

Anna's stomach undulated gently as it digested what she had just eaten. It also didn't look like an organ that Anna was born with, as it was covered in crooked, centipede-like sutures with small copper tubes buried inside of them.

"I've made some modifications to my stomach. Now, it can digest human food."

Charles reached in and stroked Anna's pulsating stomach.

It felt like a smooth hot water bottle filled with several squirming mice.

"You've actually modified your own stomach? That's great, but... where did you even get the technology to do so? And how come you did not tell me about it until now?"

Anna swatted Charles' wandering hand away before setting her skin back into place. Then, she raised her chin, seemingly proud of her achievement, as she replied, "It's a secret. Anyway, how's this for a surprise?"

Instead of replying, Charles swooped up Anna, lifting her off of the floor before tossing her high into the air. After catching her, Charles then kissed her beautiful face.

Charles was truly excited. Anna no longer needed to eat people to survive. In other words, as long as the two of them were willing, then they could definitely live like a real human couple.

The two kissed passionately for a while. When their lips parted, Anna stared at Charles with a smile. "This is such a big surprise... are you not going to reward me with something?"

Charles gave Anna's red lips a peck and carried her toward the bed. "I'll give you whatever you want."

"Ah..." Charles sighed helplessly, knocking the metal disk on his forehead. They were having so much fun earlier, all thanks to Anna's surprise, so how come things ended on a bad note?

The rift caused by his hesitation related to the Foundation's condition was almost healed, but another rift was torn open before the previous one could heal. Charles grabbed his diary, urging Sparkle to bring Anna over to the ship.

Just then, Dipp cautiously poked his head into the room through the door.

"Captain, we're approaching our destination. The first mate says that we're descending a bit too fast. You have to hold tight right before we touchdown."

Charles tucked the diary behind his back and waved his hand dismissively at Dipp. "I know."

Dipp hesitated briefly before saying, "Captain, marriage is like sailing a ship. One has to perform maintenance on the ship after a certain period of time. Otherwise, the ship will rust and become covered in barnacles. A ship without proper periodic maintenance will become more and more dilapidated until it is no longer seaworthy and can only be scrapped."

"I don't need you to teach me what to do. Get out," Charles said firmly.

Dipp left obediently, and Charles reflected on his conversation with Anna once he was all alone in his quarters. Did I say something wrong? This matter concerns the entire Subterranean Sea. I cannot give her the Foundation's communicator. It's a matter of principle.

Charles started feeling guilty for what he had done, and as he sprawled out on the bed, he started looking back on his relationship with Anna.

It seems that she's been the one compromising throughout our relationship. Every time we argue, she always softens up first and compromises. Have I been taking her for granted because I think that she cannot love anyone but me?

This isn't healthy at all. I have to change.

Just as Charles was engrossed in his thoughts, there was a loud thud, and a violent tremor ran through the Narwhale.

The small items in the room were thrown to the floor, and the subtle feeling of weightlessness vanished.

The Narwhale had touched down.

Charles poked his head out to look at the distant lights of the outpost.

He looked down at the communicator in his hand, and his gaze became determined. His argument with Anna had to be put aside for now. The top priority was securing the Foundation's help.

Resolving the world-ending crisis of the rising sea levels took precedence over everything else. First of all, they had to secure a habitable space for mankind, or everything would be in vain.