When Lan Zhan and Wei Ying woke up in the morning, they immediately felt that the ship was much slower than usual. They looked out the window and realized the reason. It was very foggy. Moreover, the temperature seemed to have dropped sharply overnight. For ice could even be seen on the ship's sides. "Are we still on course at all? Shouldn't it be getting warmer and warmer, not colder?" Wei Ying asked.

"I'm wondering the same thing right now. Best we go check it out." Replied Lan Zhan. Wei Ying nodded. They quickly washed, dressed, checked on Youn and Ali, but they were still asleep, and then went upstairs to the deck. They hoped to meet someone from the crew to find out where they were.

They quickly found a crew member, but he could not help them because he did not know where they were. They then tried the captain, but he claimed to have no time for a conversation because he had to navigate the ship through the fog. However, he admitted that they "may" have been off course because of the dense fog.

Lan Zhan did not believe they had been off course for only a few hours. He himself had spent a lot of time on ships and the sea. Therefore he knew very well that they could not have gone so far off course within a few hours. Especially not at this slow pace.

Not believing the captain, Lan Zhan challenged him to tell the truth. The captain looked at him annoyed and explained, "We had to change our course a few days ago to get out of the bad weather."

"Bullshit!" Lan Zhan countered.

"It's the truth. Well, besides, just before we left, the ship's owner had decided that we should take a different course after several ships on the same route we usually take were attacked and robbed by pirates."

"And why aren't the passengers being informed of the changed route?"

"Because we are still on schedule."

"Nevertheless, the passengers must be informed about it. It's a completely different route. Besides, that's ice fog out there. Ice is accumulating all over the ship. Plus, the air smells like snow. Why did you choose this route?"

"It wasn't my idea. I didn't want to take this route. But I have to do what the ship's owner wants. He's also on board checking to make sure we're really taking his planned route. Now go. I have to concentrate here." Said the captain. He had Lan Zhan and Wei Ying escorted outside.

Wei Ying pulled Lan Zhan with him to the railing and asked him, "What was wrong with you just now? You had become so angry. I don't know you like that at all."

"I just hate being lied to. Besides, I don't have a good feeling about this route."

"Why not?"

"Many years ago I worked on a ship as a stoker. It was a merchant ship and for some reason the captain had taken a different route than usual. I had no idea, but two of the other stokers had told me that they actually always took a different route. The ship was slowing down and at some point we heard something scraping and banging against the ship's walls. Shortly afterwards, we were told to stop all engines. Nothing worked anymore. We were trapped in the pack ice! For weeks our ship was stuck in the pack ice. After a week, they had no more food. They tried to fish, but it didn't work. Then they hunted seals. But because it was only a small group of seals, the meat only lasted a few days. Because we ran out of coal, we couldn't heat and run the engines. We should have gotten supplies from another ship on the way. But because of the changed route, there were no supplies. Many of the crew became seriously ill within the first two weeks because of the cold, had frostbite and died. At first, they simply took the dead off the ship and left them there. But that attracted wild animals like wolves and polar bears. They ate the bodies. The wolves even came onto the ship and killed several men. No one went up on deck anymore. They no longer took the dead out, but boiled and fried them so they wouldn't starve. As the fourth week approached, everyone slowly went crazy. They argued and fought over and over again. The captain was about to lose control. And then a fire broke out on the ship. We all had to leave the ship. We found an ice cave where we huddled for days. At least the wolves and polar bears didn't follow us there. But if they had, it wouldn't have mattered. Because there were only 8 people left anyway. And they all died, one after the other. When only I was left, I fought my way through snow and ice for weeks until I came to a village of Inuit. They let me stay with them for two months until summer came and some ships, whalers, came along there and took me aboard."

"That must have been a really terrible time."

"It was especially horrible to see how the people were waiting for another one of them to finally die, just so they could eat him. I am even sure that they have helped one or the other time. It was also terrible to wander for weeks aimlessly and disoriented through this icy wild landscape and constantly hope that I find any clues to people. I hardly slept and if I did, then only high up in trees to avoid being attacked by the wolves or polar bears. And always just white. Everything was white."

"I can understand how it must have been for you. Even for immortal vampires, this is not easy. How did the captain die?"

"He froze to death. As did almost all of the men. The ice cave provided good protection, but at the same time it was a trap."

"What do you mean almost all of them?"

"Two of them disappeared overnight."

"Didn't anyone notice anything?"

"No. I did see the two of them leave the cave, but I assumed they just wanted to go pee. It was agreed that no one would leave the ice cave alone. So I just slept on. In the morning when we noticed that they were no longer there, we looked for them. But because it had snowed again, it was impossible to find them. So I don't know what became of them."

"Okay. And now you're afraid that tragic history will repeat itself?"

"Yes, I am."

"If that really happens, I'll take you, Youn and Ali away from this place."

"And what about all those people? The pregnant woman, for example. What will happen to her then?"

"Now please don't take this the wrong way. But do you think they would think about you for even a second if they knew what you really are?"

"But they don't know. And I'm not going to show them either. And who knows, maybe they would accept me if they knew the truth about me."

"It would be nice. But people are far from that point yet. And who knows if they ever will be."

"Well you're giving me hope."

"I'm just saying what I think, Lan Zhan. No need to get sarcastic right away."

"It doesn't matter now. We have to get the captain to change course."

"How are you going to do that?"

"We'll talk to the ship's owner."

"Lan Zhan, I don't think that's..." Wei Ying paused as a man approached them.

"I overheard that you guys want the captain to change the route. I'm the ship's owner and I'm telling you that's not going to happen." Said the man.

"Mister Danwish, I would like to know where we are and why we are taking this route of all routes?" Replied Lan Zhan.

"I'm afraid it's not your right to get that information. Just believe me that this is for the best for all passengers." Said Mister Danwish.

"For the best? What bullshit!" Replied Lan Zhan angrily.

"Calm down." Whispered Wei Ying. He knew Lan Zhan was about to snap. And if this happened, Lan Zhan might lose control of himself.

"You're right Wei Ying. Let's go back to our cabin."

"Gentlemen, trust me, everything will be fine." Said Mister Danwish.

"Mister Danwish. Sir. it would have been appropriate to inform the passengers of the route change. And promptly, not just upon insistent demand. After all, we are paying a lot of money for this trip." Said Wei Ying.

"As the ship's owner, it's my business to change the route as I want. And what does it even matter which route we take if we reach our destination on time?"

"It matters if there is a risk that this ship will be capsized somewhere."

"Where would it capsize, Mister Wei?"

"At icebergs, for example. We could just as easily get stuck in pack ice. And please don't say that's out of the question. The ice fog and the ice that has formed on the ship are enough indications that we are already much further north than we should be."

"And how could we have done that in such a short time? It may be that my ship is faster than others. But that doesn't mean that's why we've made it in so few weeks... Wait... The storm..."

"Yes sir, the storm lasted two and a half weeks. That means we're probably a lot further off course. That's what you were going to say isn't it?"

"Yes. But if that were the case, surely the captain would have told me."

"Not unless he noticed it himself. But so far I don't think he realized it himself. It's only now that this ice fog is there and the ice is collecting on the ship that he realizes something is wrong. Also, I think he's pretty young for a captain. So he can't have much experience in the job yet." Lan Zhan concluded his guesses and also to end the discussion between the ship owner and Wei Ying. 

Lan Zhan had calmed down in the meantime and was of the opinion that it made no sense to discuss further with Danwish. For Danwish himself is hardly older than the captain, and Lan Zhan suspected that he therefore had as little knowledge as the captain. If it were otherwise, he would have confronted the captain himself and demanded to know where they were.

Before Wei Ying could reply, Lan Zhan grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him with him back below deck and into the cabin. "Sorry for my rude way of taking you away from the conversation. I just got tired of the garbage he was spouting. He doesn't have a clue any more than the captain does."

"That's okay. Actually, I wasn't going to argue with him anyway after you got so angry. But then I got carried away. But why were you so angry earlier? First with the captain, and then with that Danwish guy."

"I don't know. After thinking again about when the ship was trapped in the pack ice and all that happened, I got scared, downright panicked, that the same thing might happen again. And it made me angry that neither the captain, nor this ship owner have any idea or care."

"I understand. But I told you earlier that I'd get you and the boys out of this place if anything happened. And if you're so worried about the people who are on board here, don't worry. We'll send them help. Just in case anything happens, of course."

"I must seem like a scaredy-cat to you right now."

"No. Not at all. You were experiencing a trauma at the time."

"But I'm immortal so..."

"That doesn't mean you're immune to everything. Even immortal beings can experience trauma."

"To be honest, I was thinking less about myself and more about Youn and Ali when I felt panic and got so angry."

"I understand that very well. Youn has been your foster son for 8 years and you love him. Ali has only been with you for a short time, yet you already care about him."

"Yes you are right."

"I know. But now my dear Lan Zhan, you should calm down. Let's wake up Youn and Ali before breakfast time is over. The two of them shouldn't skip meals."

"Mhm. Besides, Youn is unbearable when he's hungry."

"Haha, then we should definitely wake him up." Replied Wei Ying with a giggle.

After a kiss, the two walked to Youn and Ali's cabin. The two had just woken up by themselves and were very hungry. They went to the hall for breakfast and then devoted themselves to a card game, with Youn taking the opportunity to further teach Ali the language.