Soon, the time agreed upon by Charles and Kade arrived. Nearly fourteen exploration ships, large and small, crowded the dock.

  With so many vessels, it seemed the Explorers' Association had been emptied. Most of the captains were unfamiliar to Charles, as many of the familiar faces had gone with Elizabeth to seize islands.

  The sight of so many ships piqued the curiosity of the Coral Island residents. Some crew members stood at a distance, speculating and discussing who might have discovered a new island.

  “There are enough people here to take an island; exploring one should be a piece of cake. We can definitely do this!” Kade, standing next to Charles, appeared to be encouraging both Charles and himself.

  Looking at the ships before him, Charles posed a crucial question. “First, we need to determine who will command all these ships. I don’t want any disputes over control out at sea.”

  “I hired them, so of course, I’ll manage it. What’s there to discuss?” Kade replied as if it were obvious.

  “Are you sure? Can you really lead us to the Land of Light in your current state? I remember you haven’t been on solid ground for a while; don’t you hear anything in your ears?” Charles regarded Kade’s haggard face with suspicion. He wasn’t keen on entrusting his life to this man.

  Kade glared at Charles. “What do you want to do? Are you going to command the whole fleet?”

  “Thanks for your input; since you’ve said it, I’ll accept it.” Without waiting for Kade to change his mind, Charles began to issue commands. “Deep, signal the flags! Let all the ships set sail!”

  With a loud horn, the Unicorn Whale moved forward, heading straight into the dark depths of the sea, under the watchful eyes of the other crew members.

  Seeing a ship in motion, the other exploration vessels instinctively believed the employer was on that ship, and the sailing order came from him, so they revved their engines to follow closely.

  In a beautifully blooming garden, Anna sat on a swing, her legs curled up, smiling as she gazed at a wrinkled piece of paper in her hands.

  “I never expected Gao Zhiming to have so little romantic experience and yet be so good at charming women. It warms my heart. Oh, if only I were a real woman,” she mused.

  After indulging her eyes, Anna carefully folded the paper and tucked it into her bosom.

  “How are the preparations coming along?” she asked a nearby maid.

  The maid replied respectfully, “Recently, there have been many refugees in the port area from Shadow Island. A few disappear each day, but it doesn’t matter. The offerings are almost sufficient, but mistress, are you really sure about this? If it causes such a commotion, the islanders will definitely suspect you. There are some formidable characters on the island.”

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  “If I don’t hold a sacrificial ceremony, won’t they still suspect me? Ever since old Peter fell ill, I’ve had more eyes on me. It doesn’t matter; I’m tired of this island anyway. I plan to explore other places. Charles is setting sail again, and I must ensure my safety.”

  Just as Anna stood up from the swing, she heard light footsteps swiftly approaching.

  Recognizing the sound, the stunning beauty displayed a hint of impatience but quickly adjusted her expression, smiling as she turned around. “Darling, what brings you here so early today?”

  “Sister Anna, do you have any news about Mr. Charles?” Margaret rushed over, her skirt held up.

  “Not yet. If I do, I’ll let you know.”

  Margaret’s expression shifted from anticipation to disappointment. “Why not again? Has Mr. Charles really received my letter?”

  “Maybe your Mr. Charles is too busy to reply. Where did you go so early today?”

  Upon hearing Anna’s question, Margaret quickly concealed her disappointment. “I went to the dock area to distribute food. There are many people starving there now.”

  “Is that so? How pitiful,” Anna said, placing a hand on her ample chest, feigning concern.

  “Then you should come with me to distribute food! That way, fewer people will go hungry.”

  Anna gently shook her head. “Dear, while I sympathize with them, that chaotic and dangerous place is best avoided, especially for someone like you…”

  As she spoke, Anna extended her right hand, lightly caressing the delicate collarbone of Margaret.

  “So soft, so delicate, and so fragrant, even those ugly men would want to devour you,” Anna said, swallowing hard afterward.

  Margaret blushed and pushed Anna’s finger away, her shyness evident.

  Seeing her reaction, Anna suddenly smiled mischievously and leaned in to plant a gentle kiss on her cheek.

  “Sister Anna, stop making such strange jokes! I… I’ll come back to find you tomorrow,” Margaret stammered, jumping away like a startled deer.

  As Margaret left, Anna’s smile gradually faded.

  Charles opened his eyes, finding himself in the pitch-black depths of the sea, unable to see anything. He struggled to swim upward but couldn’t reach the surface.

  The increasingly intense feeling of suffocation made his lungs feel like two burning coals.

  Bubbles floated up in front of him, and drawn by them, he mechanically turned his head to look below.

  In an instant, a wave of despair enveloped him from his ankles to the rest of his body. Below him stood a massive creature, its body covered in octopus-like tentacles, resembling a giant peak.

  Its scales turned outward, and its body was covered in eyes, making anyone who glanced at it feel utterly uncomfortable.

  As Charles beheld the creature, it noticed him too. All its eyes snapped open, staring directly at him. In that moment, Charles’s consciousness faded away.

  “Mr. Charles, are you okay? Mr. Charles, do you need help? Should I call Grandpa the doctor?”

  Lily’s tender voice pierced through the haze of pain, jolting Charles awake. He opened his eyes to find everything spinning rapidly, but he could barely discern that he was in his captain’s quarters.

  He rolled off the bed and collapsed to the floor, trembling as he crawled to the ship’s window, where he began to vomit uncontrollably.

  As the little food left in his stomach was expelled, the fainting sensation finally eased a bit.

  “Lily, go get the doctor. I think I’m sick.”

  “Got it!” The white rat quickly scurried toward the door.

  Before long, the limping doctor arrived in the captain’s quarters and conducted a series of rough examinations on Charles.

  “How do you feel?”

  “Dizzy, nauseous, weak, and cold.”

  “What did you eat before?”

  “The same food as the crew: five pieces of salted crackers, two black teng fruits, and a bowl of mushroom soup.”

  “Did you dream about anything just now?”

  Charles covered his forehead with his hand, recalling for a few seconds before shaking his head. “No, I didn’t dream of anything.”