I am creating a esoteric religion in London

Chapter 441 The First Fire
An ironclad steamship was hovering in the ocean off the island of Great Britain.

The iron ship's steam boiler had been extinguished and a heavy anchor had been dropped. The hull seemed to have taken root in the sea, rising and falling with the tossing of the waves.

Even though it was late at night, there was only a dim light on the deck, which was the light from the cockpit.

The first mate in charge of the helm was playing poker with the remaining crew members out of boredom. In this monotonous and boring ocean, this was the only simple form of entertainment they had.

Suddenly, bursts of joyful roars broke out in the dark cabin where all the lights were turned off.

The hissing sound was like some kind of snake sucking and sticking out its tongue, but the volume was so astonishingly loud that it was almost comparable to the sound of a ship whistle.

The hissing sound was as long and piercing as a ship's whistle, but it also had a chilling quality to it - a terrible noise that seemed not to be there but could not be ignored.

This horrible noise, which is difficult to describe in words, has a particularly severe impact on the sailors who were born near the Caspian Sea. Every time they heard the horrible hissing of the giant snakes and the terrifying rustling of the snake scales rubbing against the cabin boards, they would fall into an unforgettable nightmare that night. When they woke up in the middle of the night, they still had lingering fears in their hearts, but they could not recall the content of the nightmare. There was only an indescribable tremor and indescribable fear.

Days of nightmares and insomnia have made these crew members increasingly haggard. Their eye sockets have become deeply sunken, but their eyes have become strangely swollen, and they would mumble absentmindedly from time to time while working.

Once, the first mate witnessed with his own eyes a crew member sneaking to the corner of the cabin and kneeling in front of the secret door that Captain Heber had ordered not to be approached. He knelt in front of the door and made random gestures on his arm with a dagger. Blood soon dyed the cabin floor red and flowed in through the gap under the door.

The self-harming crew member watched his blood flowing on the bottom board and gradually disappearing under the door crack, and his face would show an intoxicated attitude as if he had taken opium. Instead, he would use the dagger to cut his arms, pierce his chest, and stab his thighs... until even his neck was cut.

In response to the self-harming crew member's strange obsession that did not relax until his death, the kind-hearted first mate was very enthusiastic and moved the crew member's body to the secret processing passage in the kitchen so that his dream could be fulfilled perfectly - the little sisters would definitely happily eat the crew member's flesh.

The ship was almost fully loaded when it set sail, but its crew gradually decreased during the journey across the ocean. Sometimes when you woke up early in the morning, you would find that the guy in the next bed had disappeared.

Some crew members said that the missing guys could not stand the terrifying roar in the bottom cabin and secretly jumped off the ship, while others said that those people had turned into food for the monsters in the bottom cabin - hey, you guessed it right! In this case, I will also send you into the stomachs of the young sisters.

"Mr. First Mate, how long do we have to wait on this sea?" A scarred crew member threw down a king card. "There are not many men able to work on the ship now. If we don't go to the shore to replenish the crew... who will satisfy the hunger of those monsters?"

The one-eyed first mate was smoking his pipe, and took out the biggest Joker in his hand and threw it on the table, "Why are you in such a hurry?!"

"The boss has personally instructed us that we can only set sail and approach the dock after the guests come back to take the little sisters away... You don't think we can reach the shore smoothly with a group of little sisters?"

The scarred crewman thought for a moment and said, "That's true. I heard that the island has been inspecting ships docked at the port more strictly recently. It seems that they are on guard against something... Could it be because of our guest?"

"Shut your stinky mouth! This is not something you should ask about—"

The cab suddenly shook violently. Although there was no wind or wave, the hull suddenly rose a few centimeters and the draft decreased greatly, as if the ship had discarded a lot of useless cargo in an instant.

But the cargo on this ship that could cause such a significant reduction in draft is only the cargo at the bottom of the hold!

Scarface reacted immediately and shouted ecstatically: "It's those monsters! The guests came back to take them away!!!"

"You guessed right, it looks like we can finally set sail."

The first mate, who always looked bitter and resentful, finally smiled and said, "Hurry up and tell the brothers who are still sober to get up and work. It's time to go ashore!"

"Tell the brothers to work hard. The first round of drinks at the Dolphin and Sailor Tavern will be on my head!"

After Scarface climbed down to the cabin and shouted to the unconscious sailors to get up and work, the first mate slowly knocked on the door of the captain's room.

Boom, boom, boom, boom—

Before he could finish knocking the agreed signal, the door of the captain's room slowly opened, and the rusty door clamps made a creaking sound.

Upon seeing this, the one-eyed first mate immediately reached for the revolver at his waist. The captain was a man who respected the rules very much. He would always wait until the captain knocked the signal before asking people to come in. He had never opened the door on his own initiative like he did now.

Something must have happened to the boss!
I have to go back and ask my brothers to come and help!!!

But at this time, the boss's angry voice came from behind the door, "Shut up, Bernard! Come in quickly, don't make me say it again!" "Yes, boss!"

Since the boss said so, the one-eyed first mate could only suppress the doubts in his heart and push the door open.

Walk through the dark and winding passage, following the faint light.

But when the situation in the captain's room came into view, the one-eyed first mate Bernard immediately took out the revolver from his waist and aimed it at the strange young man who had occupied the boss's sofa!

A young man holding a short-haired cat as bright as gold in his arms!

"How dare you, Bernard! This gentleman is a distinguished guest of our company!"

"Damn it, put the gun down!"

The boss, who was so majestic in the past, was now like a waiter in a restaurant, standing humbly beside the young man and allowing him to eat the green apple that he regarded as a delicacy.

Bernard slowly put down his revolver and said in confusion, "Boss Heber, what are you doing???"

"Our customer has just taken the goods that were stored with us and left... According to the company's rules, we have now completed the contract and are free for the next month. We have the right not to take on any new work."

When Captain Heber heard his first mate's arrogant words, his eyes turned red with anxiety. He wanted to smash Bernard's mouth right away, "Shut up!!! This guest is not someone we can refuse, wuwuwu--"

But he could no longer make any sound. No matter how hard he tried to vibrate his vocal cords, the words were blocked in his mouth and could not come out.

Captain Heber touched his mouth in horror, but he couldn't feel his lips at all!
His mouth disappeared!
It disappeared as if it was stitched together!!!

"Haha, Captain Heber, don't be angry. I admire the courage of First Mate Bernard..."

"The work that you and I just discussed, Mr. Captain, should be handed over to the first mate. His abundant courage can be put to good use."

Turbid and bloody tears flowed from Captain Heber's eyes, and he had no choice but to nod frantically.

"OK, now that we have found a new candidate, you are free, Captain."

"Now, run away before I change my mind."

The young man snapped his fingers lightly, and Captain Heber finally remembered his limbs. He rushed out of the captain's room that once belonged to him without looking back and dived into the cold sea.

The sea water was so cold that it seemed to be scraping his bones and gnawing at his flesh, but compared to his original fate, being able to drift in the vast ocean was already an extremely lucky thing. At least... he could still survive.

"Well, our new captain, Mr. Bernard, please get ready to go at full speed."

"The steam ship's furnace is boiling, the ironclad steel ship is eager to soar... Our goal is Portsmouth Docks outside London."

"I want you to drive this ironclad steel ship into Portsmouth Docks as hard as a sword into the enemy's heart."

"Then the steamboat furnace will burst into a terrifying and trembling heat at the right time, at midnight on the seventh day."

"This is the first fire lit for Brother Moth, the fire of chaos and unrest."

Bernard, who was promoted to the new captain, shuddered violently. He couldn't help but grin excitedly from the corners of his mouth to the back of his earlobes. His ecstatic fangs pierced his upper lip with joy, and his muscles were so excited that they revealed an ancient posture.

It performed a twisted etiquette that has been lost in history.

"Yes, Brother Black Moth!"

(End of this chapter)