The Black Whale ship anchored in the waters of the Miltene Union had drawn attention from all over the world. Even though the International Permit Agencies had taken over the scene, the buzz surrounding this incident remained high.
On online forums and blogs, this news was being shared everywhere. The reason was that ever since the Kakin Empire announced its plan to carve out a new frontier in the New Continent, any news about the New Continent was guaranteed to grab attention.
It's no exaggeration to say that everyone, from successful people in suits and ties down to the homeless wandering the streets, was constantly following news about the New Continent, hoping for a chance to be one of the lucky few to 'get on board' and go to the new frontier to start a new life.
Consequently, there was naturally concern now.
After all, the appearance of the Black Whale ship near the Miltene Union was highly abnormal. Coupled with the fact that there was no one on board, if this affected the [New Continent Expedition Plan], wouldn't it dash their hopes?
Moreover, what was the truth behind this? As ordinary citizens, they probably wouldn't be able to find out no matter what.
Almost the entire world's attention was focused on this Black Whale ship incident. Only a few people had some bad premonitions about it.
Among these people, most were Nen Users, including types like Maha and Gon.
There were also those who were completely detached and had no interest in it at all, like Meruem.
At that moment, personnel from the International Permit Agencies, along with relevant officials from the V6, were conducting a second sweeping carpet search of the Black Whale ship.
With so many people, the search efficiency was very fast.
During the search, no living people were still found, but cockroaches and flies were everywhere.
Perhaps precisely because there were no living people, the presence of the cockroaches and flies was relatively heightened.
Deep within the ship's hold, a team responsible for exploration walked through the passageways. The expressions on everyone's faces were extremely solemn.
This was already their second time inspecting the bottom of the ship's hold. They hadn't spared even a small storage locker, yet they still couldn't find any living soul.
"Do you think, how did the people on the ship disappear?"
One team member asked casually.
They were all in the know, so they were well aware that this ship should have arrived at the Kakin Empire's port two weeks ago.
But for some reason, not only was the ship late, but it had also drifted to the waters near the Miltene Union.
"Aren't the higher-ups checking the surveillance footage? They'll probably find the reason soon."
"But they haven't found it yet, have they?"
"I think maybe they were taken by cursed sea spirits."
Smack.
Someone slapped the back of his head. It was the exploration team's leader.
"Stop spreading nonsense. What sea spirits? Have you been watching too many movies?"
The team member who got his head slapped immediately looked aggrieved, submissive, not knowing how to answer.
"All of you, be serious."
The burly, broad-backed team leader sternly swept his gaze over his subordinates.
His body was wrapped in a thin layer of Nen, clearly a Nen User.
"Yes sir!"
The team members immediately straightened up and responded loudly to the leader's demand.
"Continue searching."
The leader gave a cold, deep shout and took the lead.
A total of twenty personnel, in a flying geese formation, advanced forward.
On the first basement level alone, there were over 300 people searching simultaneously, and it was a carpet search. They didn't even leave out the pipes used for transporting waste.
Compared to the cabins above the fourth floor, the sanitary environment at the very bottom was truly a mess. Garbage was everywhere, and the air was filled with a lingering sour and putrid smell.
After all, since the bottom of the ship was submerged, the ventilation system had limited effectiveness. Moreover, as the largest area, the ordinary people who boarded the ship as cheap labor, making up the largest demographic, were all assigned here.
With so many disorganized people packed together, the environment got polluted at an extremely fast rate.
The search team stepped over the garbage littered on the floor, producing rustling sounds.
Clang.
The toe of one team member nudged a crushed beer can.
Everyone looked over briefly, then averted their gaze and continued forward.
The beer can slid into a pile of puffed food packaging bags. Disturbed by the movement, a hair-thin, unknown object quietly emerged from the can's opening and then floated into the air, like a white strand of hair blown by the wind.
The exploration team members didn't notice the floating hair-like object. Nor did they know it was heading towards them.
Eventually, the unknown hair-like object successfully landed on the head of a middle-aged, semi-bald male team member.
About an hour later, the search of the area ended.
The team leader looked at the silent surroundings, raised his hand calmly, and said, "Form up, head back to the passageway entrance."
"Yes sir."
The others responded.
The team leader immediately turned around, went to the back of the line, and led the way towards the passageway entrance.
"Hey, Joseph, when did you get hair transplant surgery?"
One team member suddenly noticed that Joseph, who originally had a semi-bald head, now had bright, shiny hair growing on it. He couldn't help but look surprised.
"I didn't."
Joseph, the team member in question, looked confused and instinctively raised his hand to touch his head, then froze.
"My, my hair... grew back?"
Joseph was stunned for a moment, then slowly showed an excited and thrilled expression.
Going bald in middle age was the harsh reality he had to face. He had worried himself almost to the point of his hair turning white over this issue.
Unexpectedly, his hair had suddenly grown back.
"That's strange. When we came down, I remember Joseph didn't have that much hair."
Someone found it odd.
"Yeah, what's going on?"
"Here, Joseph, see for yourself."
A team member handed over a pocket watch mirror with a personal photo framed in it.
Joseph took the pocket watch mirror, looked at himself, and his excited expression froze, turning instead to one of bewilderment.
The exploration team leader suddenly stopped walking, turned his head to look at his usually close subordinates, showed no mercy whatsoever, and roared, "What are you dawdling around for over there? Are your skins itching?"
Upon hearing this, the team members quickly ran towards the leader.
Joseph then returned the pocket watch mirror to the teammate beside him.
Neither of them noticed a strand of hair sprouting from Joseph's head and landing on the team member who had taken the mirror.
…
Surveillance Room.
Officials from various countries looked in shock at the footage playing on the monitors.
"Wh-What is this?"
Someone said in a tone of disbelief.
No one responded to him. The surveillance room fell into deathly silence.
At that moment, on the fast-forwarding screen, footage showed a middle-aged man rapidly regaining his youth. However, under the fast-forward effect, the phenomenon of rejuvenation looked like a sports car with failed brakes...
Becoming younger was probably something everyone present in a high position desired. But the scene before their eyes, along with the panic and confusion on that middle-aged man's face, clearly captured by sophisticated instruments, only brought them fear born of the unknown.