Otherworld Advance Team
Chapter 1453 - 1446: The Nation of Masks

Chapter 1453: Chapter 1446: The Nation of Masks

The cargo ship sailed with a favorable wind for a day and night, and on the second day, thick fog finally floated over the sea surface, a sign of nearing Aximiya Island.

At this time, the sky was covered with dark clouds, and the light looked quite dim, let alone relying on sunlight to locate direction. Now, only the simplest navigational tools and the most experienced sailors could guide the cargo ship through the shallow sea channels to reach Aximiya Island.

According to the captain’s words, this stretch of the journey is the most difficult. The entire route must pass through thick fog to arrive at Aximiya Island on the other side.

Zisu deeply agrees with this because the Demon Clan people also often travel to and from Aximiya Island. Indeed, this part of the road is the most difficult mainly because the fog can easily make one lose their sense of direction, and once you stray into deep water areas, it’s basically the Leviathan that calls the shots.

Sailing on this route, you can only rely on one thing to distinguish direction, and that is the wind. The wind here is not strong, but it’s very steady, and the wind direction is fixed most of the time, so as long as you carefully observe the wind direction, you can determine the approximate bearing.

Of course, even so, it has to be an experienced sailor who can clearly identify the direction. If it were those greenhorn sailors who just boarded the ship, it would be very good if they weren’t scared witless by such a situation.

It is said that when the Kyushu Empire initially invaded Aximiya Island, they also used this method to determine their course, but still, many ships strayed into deep water and were swallowed by the Leviathan.

Moreover, as seasoned sailors, they not only have to ensure that the ship does not sail towards the deep waters, but they also need to avoid running aground. After all, this channel is not very deep, and it’s very easy to run aground if you’re not careful.

Therefore, under normal circumstances, the ships that come and go from Aximiya Island are mostly small; even medium-sized cargo ships dare not load full cargo, for fear of grounding. Because once grounded in such a fog-filled place, it would be a situation worse than death.

Under the shroud of thick fog, the cargo ship proceeded very cautiously, basically stopping to anchor as soon as it got dark. Moreover, every time they traveled a certain distance, they would anchor to test the water depth to ensure the ship didn’t drift into deep waters.

It must be said that Leviathans pose a huge threat to the navigation industry of Otherworld, making all ships suffer from Deep Sea Phobia, always worried that a huge and terrifying threat awaits them in the depths of the ocean.

Just like this, dawdling along, after a full ten days of salty sea breeze at sea, they finally got out of the foggy area and saw Aximiya Island in the distance.

At this moment, the weather was no longer as gloomy as in the foggy zone. Under the sunlight, the sea surface was glittering. The distant Aximiya Island appeared so sunny and bright, which was refreshing.

In fact, Aximiya Island is not a small island as Cheng Ziang and the others had imagined, but rather a standard large island. According to Zisu’s description, Baiyue estimated the size of Aximiya Island to be equal to or even larger than Xia Yue Island which they had visited before. Only an island of that size could sustain a nation.

After leaving the fog, the ship picked up speed with the wind direction and in less than half a day, arrived at a fishing village on the shore where there were a few simple docks for the cargo ship to berth.

Aximiya Island does not have a tradition of maritime trade, so the towns along the coast are based mainly on the fishing industry and barely develop overseas trade. Before the outbreak of the West Outer Heaven war, they were still able to do business with the Demon Clan. Once the war broke out, the Demon Clan were too busy saving their own skins to think about trade.

Seeing the strange large cargo ship entering the dock, the people of the Ghost Race in the town all gathered around, curiously sizing up this unfamiliar vessel.

Cheng Ziang noticed that the Ghost Race people were indeed as the rumors described, short and with dark skin. Most men had short hair, while the women had long, black, and silky hair.

What surprised Cheng Ziang the most was that these Ghost Race people, regardless of gender, were all wearing masks, it seemed that only children did not need to wear one. Cheng Ziang also noticed that some of the adolescents were wearing masks too, which means that once these children reach adolescence, they would don a mask.

The Ghost Race people’s masks are mostly carved from a type of tree on the island, a tree with relatively less dense wood, making it easier for carving. In fact, the Ghost Race people do not wear one mask for life; they will promptly replace it if the mask gets damaged.

Not only that, but they also have masks specially designed for welcoming guests, which are carved from sturdier wood and feature even more intricate patterns.

The masks of the Ghost Race are very particular, with men’s masks mainly depicting ghostly figures, carved with fierce and intimidating expressions.

In contrast, women’s masks often feature birds and beasts, with softer and less aggressive designs.

Upon close observation, Cheng Ziang noticed some elder’s masks did not have eye holes; in other words, as soon as these elders donned their masks, they would be effectively blind – whether this was a tradition or some form of punishment remained unclear.

In fact, the term "Ghost Race" itself is steeped in meaning. It is a direct translation from the language of the Demon Clan, literally meaning the Ghost Clan.

Of course, Kyushu has its own translations, which is another story altogether. Those from Kyushu tend to view themselves as the central empire surrounded by lesser states, using derogatory terms for neighboring countries and ethnic groups.

For example, the East Prosperous Empire in the northeastern part of the Dongsheng Empire is referred to by Kyushu locals as the Eastern Barbarians. Yipa in the northwest is known as the Western Barbarians, and Fengyu in the south is derogatorily dubbed Nanman. Hence, the term for the Ghost Race in Kyushu isn’t any kinder, generally labeled as Wuman.

The name for the Ghost Race stems from the impression they left on the Demon Clan, who upon first encountering them, were startled by their ghostly masks and thus referred to them as the Ghost Clan, which was simplified to "Ghost Race".

It is said that the people of the Ghost Race only have three chances in their lives to remove their masks. The first is during childhood, when they need not wear masks.

The next occasion is upon marriage when spouses remove their masks to show each other their sincere faces as a sign of commitment.

Naturally, the last time is upon their death, and there are specific customs to observe. In principle, only those who die a natural death without illness are entitled to be buried without their masks. Those who die unnaturally must enter their graves with their masks on.

Cheng Ziang wasn’t sure about the Ghost Race’s fixation on masks, but from an artistic standpoint, these masks are indeed exquisite and ideal craftsmanship products.

In truth, the reason Kyushu traders often journey to Aximiya Island is to trade for these masks to be sold on the Continent. People there believe that the masks of the Ghost Race have mystical powers, allowing wearers to sense the cosmos and perform witchcraft only accessible to the Ghost Race.

Although Kyushu locals tend to disdain the people of the Ghost Race, they do appreciate their masks, particularly those for females. The more fearsome, ghastly male masks are typically bought by witches for rituals.

In the eyes of the Ghost Race, wearing masks should not be taken lightly. In their view, a man wearing a woman’s mask is tantamount to cross-dressing, and is considered self-deprecating.

The climate of Aximiya Island is that of a tropical monsoon. Stepping out of the thick fog, Cheng Ziang could immediately feel the oppressive humidity and heat. The island’s vegetation was dense, with the activities of the Ghost Race having minimal ecological impact.

Once the ship was docked, an elder of the Ghost Race, his face hidden behind a mask, welcomed them flanked by a group of his people. Despite his mask’s demonic depiction, perhaps due to his respected status, it appeared somewhat softened.

Moreover, the most crucial detail was that the eye holes of his mask were not open, leaving one to wonder how he perceived his surroundings or if he could see at all.

Zisu, leading the group, stepped slowly off the boat. Upon seeing the elder, she extended her hand, placed it in front of herself, resting her chin on the back of her hand, and then bowed slightly.

Then she spoke, uttering a lengthy string of words in the Ghost Race language that Cheng Ziang and the others couldn’t understand at all.

Hearing Zisu’s words, the elder seemed delighted, returning the gesture and speaking warmly in response.