The speedboat cut through the deep-blue waves, its engine blending into the sea wind, making the linen cloak on Shi Jin's body flap loudly. He leaned against the rail, his gaze fixed on the distant harbor slowly coming into view, his fingers unconsciously brushing the hem of his cloak—a dried cherry blossom petal he had picked up when leaving Floating Sakura Island, now brittle enough to shatter at a touch.
"Young man, what are you staring at?" a hoarse voice came from beside him.
Shi Jin turned and saw the boatman, his dark skin salty from the sea wind, rough hands wiping against an oil-stained apron, fine salt grains tucked in the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes. He was clearly a man who had spent his life at sea. The old man leaned over as well, gazing at the vast ocean and sighing.
"I've been sailing these seas for thirty years, seen plenty of storms. Plenty of young folks traveling alone like you, too. Got somewhere you want to go? I know these waters well. I can point you the right way."
Shi Jin's gaze returned to the harbor, his voice as calm as the sea breeze.
"I'm heading for the Mixed-Blood City-State. I don't know how to transfer from this port."
The old man's eyes lit up, and he slapped his thigh.
"What luck! There are three boats a day from the new port ahead to the Mixed-Blood City-State! Don't take the elves' wooden ships—overpriced and always taking detours. The dwarves' iron ships are fast, but the stench of forged metal will put you off your food for three days. Look for the ship with the black crow flag on the west side of the dock. Captain Black is a half-orc. Looks fierce with those two fangs, but he's honest with us humans. Last time a young girl got cheated by a peddler on his boat, he got her money back no questions asked. Fair prices too, twenty percent cheaper than the others. Head west after docking—you can't miss it."
Shi Jin nodded, committing the words "black crow flag" to memory. Following the man's direction, he could already see a forest of masts in the harbor, flags of all races fluttering in the wind: elven vine patterns, dwarven hammer emblems, orc beast-tooth banners. It was a lively, different world.
"Relax," the old man said, clapping him on the shoulder. "The Mixed-Blood City-State is full of all kinds, but if you keep to the rules, you'll get by fine. When we dock, I'll point out Black's ship for you."
Shi Jin murmured in response. His gaze fell again on the approaching bustle. The cherry petal between his fingers finally crumbled into powder, swept away by the wind into the sea, swallowed by the waves in an instant—much like the people and things on Floating Sakura Island he had not had the chance to properly farewell.
Stepping onto the harbor's stone slabs, the salty sea wind slipped inside his collar. Seagulls circled overhead, crying loudly. He wandered aimlessly, passing seafood stalls, the smell of fish mixing with shouts. Yet none of this liveliness belonged to him. He was like a shadow wrapped in a gray cloak, the gloom around him unshakable even in the wind.
He entered a random inn. The wooden threshold creaked softly under his feet, but inside it was bustling. Several wooden tables were full of people; the bartender wiped glasses so quickly his hands blurred, laughter bouncing off the ceiling and shattering into pieces. Shi Jin found a window seat with a view of the sailing ships outside and ordered a mug of ale.
No sooner had the drink arrived than a man in gray cloth pinned an announcement on the wall. Red paper, black words:
Upheaval on Floating Sakura Island: The Chiba siblings, Jiang Yu and Jiang Nai, assassinated. Island in political turmoil.
Someone glanced at it and mumbled, "The Chiba lord and lady are gone," then turned to laugh at the fisherman at his table.
"Guess Floating Sakura's cherry blossom candy will get more expensive! I just ordered ten jin last week!"
The fisherman slammed the table and laughed.
"You care about candy? I'm worried about supplies! When Lord Chiba was in charge, we got our passports the same day. Who knows how long we'll wait now!"
The bartender chimed in while wiping glasses.
"Tell me about it. The dockworkers said last week that the Falling Scarlet Sword of the Chiba clan was stuck in the door of the lord's mansion, the cherry blossom patterns on the blade chipped. Even Lord Jiang Yu's Clear Dragon Sword is gone…"
Shi Jin stared at the words Chiba siblings Jiang Yu, Jiang Nai. His fingers tightened unconsciously, leaving a faint mark on the edge of the cup. The bitter taste of ale spread across his tongue, sharper than the night dew on Floating Sakura's cliffs. He lowered his eyes and took a sip. The seagulls outside cried louder, their wing shadows falling over the notice, covering the word "Chiba" — as if someone was gently covering the story that had just ended.
The inn's noise wrapped around him like a thin film, trapping his tangled emotions inside. Only the cold cup in his palm and the scattered chatter in his ears remained, twisting in his mind.
He set down his cup, his fingers pausing on the table edge for two seconds. Then he stood and walked to the bar.
The bartender looked up with a smile.
"Refill or check out, sir?"
Shi Jin's voice was muffled inside his cloak, hoarse.
"Excuse me… Which dock is the ship with the black crow flag at?"
The bartender paused, then pointed out the window.
"Third pier to the left after you go out. It departs in the afternoon. If you're in a hurry, you can wait there early."
Shi Jin nodded, paid for his drink, and walked out. The wind was stronger now, whipping his gray cloak loudly. He followed the bartender's directions. The cries of seagulls faded beneath the ship's whistles. The news of Floating Sakura Island was left behind.
Ahead, at the end of the pier, the black crow flag flapped in the wind like a pool of unmelting ink.
At the third pier, he spotted the ship with the black crow flag. Its hull was crusted thick with sea salt. Several sailors were carrying wooden crates on deck. A burly half-orc with brown bear ears leaned against the bow, a pipe in his mouth, flipping through a crumpled schedule.
Shi Jin approached. The wind pressed his cloak tight against his legs.
"Excuse me… does this ship go to the Mixed-Blood City-State?"
The half-orc captain lifted his eyes. His amber beast-like pupils swept over Shi Jin. He tapped his pipe against the hull.
"Departs at three in the afternoon. Only one berth left. Pay silver first, luggage in the lower cabin."
His voice carried the low growl of a beast, rough as sandpaper on wood.
As he took the coin, the captain caught sight of the faint pink cherry petal on Shi Jin's cloak.
"You just came from Floating Sakura Island?"
Shi Jin lowered his gaze. With a light flick of his finger, the petal fell into a crack in the pier planks, swept away by the wind into the churning white waves. He did not answer, only pushed the silver forward.
The captain's beast eyes stared at him for two seconds, then asked no more. He turned and pointed toward the cabin.
"Lower deck, third berth on the left. Don't touch the cargo inside — those are iron ingots for the dwarven craftsmen in the Mixed-Blood City-State."
Shi Jin stepped onto the deck. The thud of sailors carrying goods filled his ears. The black crow flag blustered overhead. The sea slapped against the pier, as if urging this new journey to begin.
He stood at the edge of the deck, watching the people passing on the pier:
Dwarves with bronze skin and stone axes on their backs, stomping loudly, their crates carved with protective magic arrays that glowed dim red;
Elves with pointed ears carrying wicker baskets filled with glowing magical herbs, leaving faint, fleeting cherry-blossom-shaped marks on the planks with every step;
Half-orcs, some with wolf ears, some with lizard tails, carrying crates taller than men;
And mixed-bloods — like a youth with a human face and eagle wings, crouching by the ship's side oiling a mechanical parrot with glowing crystal eyes.
The wind carried not just salt, but the stench of dwarven sulfur, the bitter scent of elven herbs, and machine oil. All kinds of smells tangled together, like a net woven from the stories of every race.
Shi Jin wrapped himself in his gray cloak. His fingers lightly touched the magic array on the deck. At his touch, a faint gray light flickered and quickly died.
He watched the liveliness before him without a word, only turning his gaze to the distant horizon, where clouds hung low, almost pressing against the sea. The outline of the Mixed-Blood City-State loomed faintly through them.
The clock in the harbor tower struck three. The half-orc captain stepped onto the deck with his pipe and shouted in his rough voice:
"Hold on tight! Raise the sails!"
The sailors immediately turned the magic wheel on the ship's side. The crystals on it blazed bright, shifting from pale blue to deep navy. A transparent magic shield burst from the bottom of the hull, separating the ship from the water.
Shi Jin felt the deck tremble slightly. The Black Crow slowly lifted from the surface, spiral winds swirling beneath it, spraying the sea into fine white waves.
When the ship hovered ten meters above the water, the black crow pattern on the sail suddenly flickered, as if alive, its wings trembling. In the next moment, the entire vessel was carried by the wind, speeding toward the Mixed-Blood City-State.
The harbor shrank behind them. Seagulls chased alongside. Floating Sakura Island became a tiny pink dot, soon hidden by clouds.
The passengers on board stirred.
Dwarves cheered excitedly, slapping their crates.
"The Black Crow's wind magic is still as good as ever! Way faster than the tortoise-shell ship I took last time!"
Elves closed their eyes, letting the wind run through their hair. The magical herbs in their baskets glowed brighter, forming small floating lights.
The eagle-winged youth simply spread his wings and flew just outside the rail, laughing loudly.
"Steadier than flying myself! And no need to fight headwinds over the sea!"
Shi Jin stood at the deck's edge, watching the sea grow distant below. The wind tore at his gray cloak. He reached out and touched the crystal embedded in the ship's side.
At the contact of his finger, a faint gray light flashed, like a spark, then vanished.
He pulled his hand back and looked ahead. The outline of the Mixed-Blood City-State grew clearer in the clouds. Its spired magic towers glowed in all colors, like colorful candles stuck in the sky, waiting for him to step into a new chaos.
The Black Crow flew through the clouds for three or four hours. The sun slowly sank, dyeing the sky orange-red.
Shi Jin leaned against a shelf near a small window. Wind slipped through the crack, carrying the scent of unfamiliar plants.
He clutched the necklace around his neck that could sense divine artifacts, his fingers brushing the cold pendant. Drowsiness crept over him. His eyelids grew heavy, and before he knew it, he fell asleep, his hand tightening slightly in his dreams, leaving a faint mark on the pendant.
Some time later, someone gently patted his shoulder.
Shi Jin jolted awake. The half-orc captain stood before him, his pipe extinguished, his voice surprisingly gentle.
"Young man, we've arrived at the Mixed-Blood City-State airship port. Time to get off."
Shi Jin rubbed his eyes, tucked the necklace inside his collar, and followed the captain outside.
The moment he stepped out of the cabin, he saw the enormous city-state built on the mountainside. Colorful flags fluttered in the twilight. Dozens of flying ships rested on the platform, their magic crystals glowing blue and purple. Figures of all races moved among them, noise and unfamiliar scents washing over him.
Shi Jin looked at the scene before him and quietly exhaled.
This aerial journey had ended safely. Next, he would search for clues about the divine artifact in this Mixed-Blood City-State.
Following the crowd out of the port, he saw a row of magic elevators embedded with crystals. The cabins were transparent, revealing passengers moving up and down.
He stepped into one and pressed the button for the city below. The crystals lit up at once, and the elevator began its descent.
Through the glass, the world unfolded.
The mountainside port shrank behind him. The city spread below: wide stone roads lined with colorful spired buildings, smoke rising from dwarven forges, elven treehouses tucked among the architecture, half-orcs moving through the markets, strange magical devices glowing on every street.
The elevator descended for several minutes before stopping beside the main city square.
Shi Jin stepped out. The stone pavement beneath his feet was etched with magic arrays, warm to the touch.
He glanced around. The colorful spires were denser than they had been hundreds of years ago. The clanging of dwarven forges was louder. Elven treehouses hung with more glowing vines. The market bustled with half-orc shouts and murmurs of demon kin. It was far livelier than he remembered.
Shi Jin pressed his lips together.
After hundreds of years, this place had indeed grown more complicated. Finding clues to the divine artifact would not be easy.
He had just left the main square when the necklace around his neck suddenly burned hot.
His heart tightened. He quickly turned down a nearby alley.
The alley was dim, lined with small shops with strange signs. The necklace burned hotter and hotter, until it stopped in front of a tiny store with an old cloth curtain hanging over the door.
Embroidered on the curtain was a faded pattern of a divine artifact, old and worn.
Shi Jin hesitated for a moment… then reached out, lifted the curtain, and stepped inside.