Capítulo 49: 49 - Escape
Under Laut's whip-wielding command, the sailors moved with the last glimmer of hope. The sail ropes tightened, and the winches spun relentlessly, raising the canvas made from camel leather. These camel leather sails were incredibly resilient, capable of withstanding the wildest storms and gales.
The remaining crew members began unloading the cargo piled on the deck, lightening the weight of the sailboat.
Laut watched as their valuable cargo was tossed into the sea one by one, feeling a pang in his heart, but he had no other choice. His life was more precious.
The howling wind and churning waters made the massive wind sail ship appear as if it were a fragile leaf on the brink of capsizing. The ship continuously swayed, seemingly on the verge of sinking at any moment.
Lynn's approach was straightforward. He adjusted the angles of the sails, using the powerful winds to balance the ship. This was a highly precise operation, but the sailors on board, while not understanding the principles of aerodynamics, possessed decades of maritime experience, barely maintaining control.
Under Lynn's guidance, the warship gradually changed course, heading full speed in the direction of the water flow.
"Wizard, are you sure you're not making a mistake? That's the giant whirlpool over there." Laut, who had just ordered the sailors into action, turned to check their course and was terrified to the core.
Were they trying to escape the giant whirlpool, or were they rushing headlong into certain death? He now believed the helmsman had no clue about ships.
"Of course, I know that's a giant whirlpool. What we need to use is the power of the Eye of Death," Lynn said with a solemn tone.
The wind sail ship's speed was only seven knots. Escaping the vortex's pull was nearly impossible. The only way out was to align the ship's direction with the direction of the swirling water, circumnavigate the giant whirlpool, and then use centrifugal force to accelerate out.
In fact, Lynn had no prior experience with ships, but he had undergone starship piloting assessments, understanding how to use a planet's gravity for reverse acceleration. The principles were quite similar.
In simple terms, they would charge in and then be flung out.
Lynn briefly explained this, but Laut didn't understand a word of it. He had a vague feeling that it made sense, though.
"We must be out of our minds." Laut muttered to himself. He had never imagined that one day he would be sailing directly into a giant whirlpool.
Apart from Laut, the other sailors soon noticed the ship's course was amiss. However, they didn't even have time to despair, as several sail ropes on the deck couldn't withstand the strong winds and snapped. In this perilous situation, they had no choice but to use sheer manpower to keep the ropes taut to prevent them from affecting the ship's progress.
Lynn continuously adjusted the ship's rudder. Accompanied by a violent but brief shake, the ship suddenly veered to the right and then stabilized once more. The surging seawater propelled the sailboat forward, heading resolutely toward the giant whirlpool.
A deafening thunderous roar echoed from the distance of the sea, like thunder erupting on a clear day. In the sparse black mist, a portion of the giant whirlpool quickly appeared before them.
It looked like an enormous, hair-raising funnel at sea, continuously sucking in vast amounts of seawater into its bottomless abyss. At the whirlpool's deepest point was darkness and an eerie coldness, emanating a spine-chilling aura, hiding its true nature from view.
As they gazed upon the horrifying giant whirlpool, Laut's face turned deathly pale. The sailors' reactions were even worse, with some starting to mutter incoherently.
"Mom, I'm coming to find you..."
"It's stars, I can see the stars."
Lynn faintly sensed that something was amiss. This whirlpool, known as the Eye of Death, seemed to affect people's minds. It appeared that this phenomenon wasn't a natural occurrence caused by ocean currents or gravitational tides.
They needed to get out of here as soon as possible.
However, their current speed was still lacking.
"Use Fireball, seven o'clock direction." Lynn shouted loudly, making sure Jenny understood and indicating the precise direction.
The silver-haired girl immediately grasped the idea, activating her Magic Hands. A massive fireball condensed in her palm and was thrown toward the rear side of the ship.
At this moment, Lynn also acted, creating two huge fireballs that collided violently. The shockwave made the ship creak, but it also boosted the ship's speed once more.
The constantly swaying ship, in a thrilling fashion, grazed the edge of the giant whirlpool. With the powerful centrifugal force at play, they accelerated at several times their usual speed, breaking free.
The intense sound also woke Laut and the others, enabling them to shake off the mental influence of the whirlpool. They watched as the terrifying "Eye of Death" receded into the distance, relief washing over their faces.
After a brief moment of calm, the deck erupted in joyful shouts. Everyone was celebrating their escape from the clutches of death.
"This is incredible. We've truly escaped the whirlpool."
"This must be a miracle."
"As soon as we reach land, let's get married immediately. There's no time to waste."
All the crew members were ecstatic, and even the two grizzled old men embraced each other.
"First mate, once we're past this area, bring out the wine I've been hoarding. Let's celebrate properly," Laut's hands were still trembling, but he generously made the offer upon seeing the joyous scene.
"However, Laut, sir..." the first mate hesitated and then cautiously added, "Your box of wine was just thrown overboard."
Laut's expression immediately froze, and an endless sorrow surged within him. Most of the rare treasures he had collected over the years were stored in the wooden box on the deck, and now they were all gone.
An urge to dive into the whirlpool and retrieve his riches welled up within him, but it was ultimately a futile thought.
Amidst the heartache, Laut didn't forget to acknowledge the hero of their triumphant "conquest" of the Eye of Death.
"Many thanks, Master Wizard. You saved us all. If you have any tasks in the future, please don't hesitate to command us," Laut gazed at Lynn, took off his hat, and placed it over his chest, bowing respectfully.
The previously boisterous deck fell into a profound silence. Every sailor and crew member there made the same gesture, the highest form of respect among seafarers.
After the harrowing experience with the Eye of Death, they now had a deep admiration and respect for Lynn, the wizard.
"What should we do next? Please continue to guide us."
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