Chapter 6243

As soon as the moment to depart arrived, the waiting ships raised their anchors, lined up, and sailed out from the pier, setting off on their journey to Antarctica.

Though all these research vessels were headed to Antarctica, their routes varied. Most of the scientific ships were bound for the Antarctic Peninsula and the South Shetland Islands, while only a few ventured to the more inhospitable Antarctic continent. Consequently, after departing from the port and traveling just a few dozen nautical miles, the ships altered their courses, spreading out in different directions.

The first destination for the Iliad scientific research vessel is the Antarctic continent. Upon arrival, they will pick up the personnel from a scientific research station and then proceed to visit other research stations in the archipelago. Ultimately, all personnel will return to the port of Ushuaia, where they will fly back to Northern Europe, while the scientific ship will take almost a month to return to its home port.

On the second day of sailing, the research vessel entered the Drake Strait. The infamous Devil’s Westerly Belt was living up to its reputation; the winds here typically blew at speeds of levels 8 to 10, with waves reaching heights of at least five meters. A ship navigating through this strait felt like a mere toy adrift in the tempest, wholly dwarfed by the elements.

Due to the severe weather and the relatively slow speed of the research ship, it wasn’t until the third day that they finally managed to exit the Drake Strait, while the wind and waves outside continued to grow more intense.

While Charlie, Zeba, and Tara practiced the Great Tathagata Mudra with undivided focus, Maria was in her cabin, struggling against the ship’s violent motions. Her dark eyes stared out at the deep, black water that surged beyond the window, waves crashing against the portholes with such force that the entire vessel shook, causing her to clench her fists nervously.

In her over three hundred years of existence, Maria had never set foot in Antarctica.