Machi, Salin, Uvogin, and Nobunaga had all boarded the ship. This was an irreversible fact.
Chasing after them now would be meaningless.
However, Law wasn't too worried about their safety.
Compared to the Dark Sea, the voyage from Territorial Waters to the imaginary continent wasn't particularly dangerous, especially since they were on the B.W.
After hanging up Sabro's call, Law bit his thumb, thinking for a long time.
He knew Machi was determined to follow him. So, without revealing the route and destination, Machi chose to board the B.W.
Most likely, their plan wasn't simply to land on the 'Dark Continent' but to find Ging...
Because they understood clearly: where Ging was, Law would be there.
So the question arose: Law's first reaction upon learning Machi and the others boarded the B.W. was to ask Ging to look after them.
But then it would be hard to leave Machi and the others on the imaginary continent...
Thinking this, Law dialed Ging's number.
B.W. Level Five was the smallest space aside from Level One and the area with the most passengers.
Here, no one talked about manners.
Not to mention the pervasive sweat smell in the cabins… the passengers gathered here were mostly society's lowest strata, also the luckiest bunch. To get more comfortable, taking off shoes was normal, so...
Moreover, during initial boarding, people brought food onboard. Opening packaging mixed with various cabin odors created a nauseating atmosphere.
The worst part: Level Five was the B.W.'s bottom, the only level fully submerged in seawater, so ventilation was poor.
Currently, Ging was wandering around Level Five.
He had a pass allowing free movement between Levels Two to Five. As for why he was on Level Five, that was unknown.
Beep. Beep.
When the phone notification sounded, Ging was talking with a group of thugs. He had spent a long time among common folk, knew how to interact with these people, and had learned many things from them.
For example, the unique survival skills of thugs: stealing, deceiving, bluffing, glib talk...
Hearing the notification, Ging bid the thugs a friendly farewell, found an inconspicuous corner, and answered Law's call.
"Have you set off?"
Ging watched the panorama of life in the cabin, opening with this line.
"Not yet. Departure isn't urgent. Called because I need a favor," Law said.
"What is it?" Ging was puzzled but didn't ask further, getting straight to the point.
"Salin, Machi, and the others are onboard. I need you to find them, but don't let them discover you."
"And then?"
"Look after them."
"Alright." Ging agreed straightforwardly, then teased, "Seems you didn't clean up your tracks properly."
"..."
After hanging up, Ging put away his phone and headed directly toward the entrance to Level Four.
On the first day of departure, he had already explored all of Level Five, not seeing Machi and the others, meaning they weren't on Level Five.
On the B.W., Level Two was for celebrities and the wealthy, while Level Three and below were for ordinary people.
Considering Salin's status, it wasn't impossible they were on Level Two. Ging didn't have permission to check passenger lists, so he could only use the basic method: search floor by floor.
Anyway, his original plan was to cover Levels Two to Four.
Reaching the passage between Levels Five and Four, soldiers guarded it.
Ging showed his pass, was quickly let through, arriving at Level Four.
This level was the B.W.'s largest area, also the second most populous. The environment was far better than Level Five.
Upon reaching Level Four, Ging immediately noticed much better air.
He glanced around, then went to the free activity area.
During non-sleeping hours, most passengers would be in free areas, passing time before reaching the destination.
Ging walked along walls, his gaze scanning like radar.
He had to follow Law's request: find them without being discovered by Machi.
"Hmm?"
Ging's gaze suddenly paused, resting on a beauty with clown makeup around her eyes.
The woman seemed very perceptive. The moment Ging's gaze paused, she suddenly turned and looked at him.
Their gazes intersected mid-air, sparking nothing.
Ging naturally shifted his gaze, and the clown-makeup woman calmly turned back as if nothing happened.
'Was it a misperception?'
Ging thought silently. At first glance, he thought this woman had something, but then she seemed just an ordinary Nen User.
He shook his head slightly, continuing to search for traces of Machi and the others.
After wandering the cabin for about half an hour, he still hadn't found Machi and the others.
Passing a public dining chair in the restaurant, Ging suddenly stopped, looking not far away.
There, on a dining table, stood an open book. From Ging's angle, he couldn't see the person's face blocked by the book.
What made Ging stop and pay attention was the book's title: L. Hunter.
As a relatively niche book, Ging had been wandering Levels Five and Four for a while, and this was the first time seeing a passenger using this book for leisure.
He thought for a moment, then walked over.
When he reached the table, the book standing on it suddenly closed. Then, Ging heard a slightly weary exhalation.
Looking over, the book holder was a woman wearing a hairband with a heart pattern printed on it, bangs neatly covering her forehead, with a pretty face… pure yet with a hint of mature charm.
The stable Ten on her body's surface showed she was a Nen User with solid foundations.
"Can I help you?"
The woman noticed Ging, her voice quite gentle.
Ging smiled, pointing at the closed book. "You read L. Hunter too? I'm a die-hard fan of this book."
Mentioning L. Hunter, the woman's face lit up brilliantly, happily saying, "Me too! You might not believe it, but the author of this book is my friend."
"Huh?"
An odd expression immediately appeared on Ging's face.
'That line was supposed to be mine… how was it taken first?'
...
Having entrusted looking after Machi and the others to Ging, Law originally wasn't in a hurry to depart, but now he changed his mind.
Preparations were essentially complete. However, Law valued Stargie's abilities, so he wanted to ask her and Ellie's opinions.
Given their close relationship, he didn't beat around the bush, directly approaching Stargie and Ellie, stating his purpose directly.
"If Sister Stargie wants to go, I have no objections."
Ellie was surprised but expressed her stance.
In her view, this matter didn't require her consent but depended on whether Stargie was willing.
Stargie looked at Law, then at Ellie, her gaze shifting between them, not answering Law's invitation immediately.
Subconsciously, she didn't resist this invitation.
But what reason was there to go to the completely unknown Dark Continent?
Not answering immediately, she was seeking a reasonable motivation for herself.