“Look! There’s a bat flying in the sky!” The exclamation from outside the bar caught Deep's attention.

  He followed the other drunken sailors as they rushed out to see what was happening.

  “Hmm, that bat looks familiar,” Deep scratched his neck while holding a bottle of alcohol.

  As he watched the bat swiftly fly away, the sailors gradually returned to the bar, except for Deep. Suddenly, he remembered what the vampire had mentioned about the captain acquiring a new relic that allowed him to transform into a giant bat. It was likely that the one flying above was Captain Charles.

  “Is the captain testing out a new relic? That’s awesome! If only I had a relic too,” Deep said, his words laced with envy. Watching the captain wield various abilities through his relics was hard not to admire.

  Then an idea struck him, and he clapped his hands excitedly. “I’ve saved up some Echo Coins! I can buy a relic too!”

  Glancing back at the noisy tavern, Deep dashed inside again. A wave of warmth hit him as drunken crew members laughed and boasted, while scantily clad women moved about. Everything felt so lively.

  He jumped onto a wooden table and shouted, “Everyone! Does anyone know where I can buy relics on Coral Island?”

  Laughter died down as a fat old man with a red nose and only a few teeth in his mouth exclaimed, “Look at this little guy! He hasn’t even grown hair yet and dares to buy relics. He must be tired of living! Hahaha!”

  The bar erupted in laughter, the atmosphere growing lively again. At a corner table, the other members of the *Unicorn* stood up with a clatter.

  The laughter faded as sailors averted their eyes to their drinks; they knew better than to provoke those from the exploration ship.

  Sensing the mood shift, Deep snapped his fingers toward the bar. “Hey, everyone! Let’s have a round on me!”

  The atmosphere reignited as sailors raised their glasses, loudly toasting to the boy who had just been mocked.

  A shirtless sailor took a swig and shouted, “Buddy, check out Black Robe Alley! They throw away things that can’t see the light and sell them there. Just don’t get caught by the Black Skin Dogs; their trades are illegal.”

  “Thanks!” Deep excitedly jumped off the table, waved at his comrades in the corner, and bolted out.

  “Should we follow that kid? He’s not going to get into trouble again, is he?” Krona remarked to the others.

  “Relax, he made it back from Dark Crystal Island. What’s there to fear? If anyone causes trouble, we’ll just toss them into the sea,” Frey said, giving a playful squeeze to a waitress's backside.

  The other crew members nodded in agreement.

  In the harbor area of Coral Island, Deep was quite familiar with the surroundings. He passed through the fishy drying area and arrived at the desolate Black Robe Alley.

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  As the name suggested, everyone in the alley wore dark, hooded cloaks. Deep, dressed in sailor attire, stood out awkwardly in the center of the road.

  He squeezed into the crowd, curiously observing as some figures lifted their cloaks, revealing their wares and whispering to one another.

  “Hey! Does anyone have relics? Is anyone selling relics?” Deep called out, immediately attracting attention.

  A short figure in a black robe approached him, lowering their voice. “Kid, how much do you have?”

  “Uh… 30,000 Echo Coins?” Deep replied, stating his savings.

  The cloaked figure turned to leave, scoffing, “You think 30,000 Echo Coins is enough for a relic? Do you think they’re fish from the sea?”

  Feeling dejected, Deep scratched his neck. He had saved more, but during the Dark Crystal Island incident, the vampire had robbed him.

  “Do you want a relic?” A voice suddenly came from behind Deep, startling him.

  He quickly turned to see a stout figure in a black robe standing behind him.

  “I do want one, but I only have 30,000 Echo Coins.”

  “Deal. 30,000 it is.” The cloaked figure pulled out a silver bracelet covered in a thick layer of grime.

  “Really? You’ll sell it to me for 30,000?” Deep was surprised, especially since the previous seller had said it wasn’t enough.

  “Want it or not? I’ll leave if you don’t.”

  Seeing the figure pretend to walk away, the 16-year-old Deep didn’t think twice and quickly agreed. “I’ll take it! But first, what does this relic do?”

  “Once worn, it increases your strength, but the downside is you’ll get thirsty easily.”

  After testing the relic and finding it genuinely useful, Deep happily paid the money, feeling like he had struck a great bargain.

  The cloaked figure took the money and quickly left. Deep wandered a bit before kneeling in front of a door. “Pastor, I’ve delivered the item. It’s confirmed to be one of Charles’s crew.”

  The wooden door opened, revealing a smiling Sonny. “Once they set sail, give that boy the other bracelet. If he won’t serve me, then neither will Kede get that advantage!”

  “Captain! Captain! Are you in there?” an excited Deep knocked on Charles’s door.

  With a creak, the door opened, revealing Lily’s mouse.

  Deep’s eyes quickly fell on Charles, who sat silently, trembling slightly, his face contorted in pain as he clenched his fists, seemingly holding back something.

  “What’s going on?” Charles’s voice was unusually hoarse.

  Although Deep was young, he was no fool. The scene clearly wasn’t the right time to flaunt his new relic.

  “Nothing… Just take care of yourself,” Deep said, turning to leave when a bat flew in through the door.

  The bat quickly transformed into Audrick, who nervously held a blood bag in front of Charles. “Captain, this is from the hospital.”

  Charles’s trembling hands quickly took the bag, biting into it with his sharp teeth, greedily sucking the blood. Crimson liquid dripped from the corners of his mouth, giving him a more terrifying appearance than Audrick beside him.

  Deep walked over to Lily, curiosity bubbling within him. “What happened to the captain?”

  Lily’s voice was filled with fear. “The captain went to find his sister… He came back like this, and he almost bit me just now.”

  At that moment, Deep noticed Charles suddenly contort in pain, his lips trembling as he muttered something.

  He hurriedly pushed away Audrick, who was trying to support him, and stumbled to the desk, pulling out a green gel and forcefully stuffing it into his mouth.

  After a moment, Charles’s breathing gradually calmed, though his face remained pale and exhausted. He waved at his crew. “I need to rest. You all can leave.”

  Deep quickly followed Audrick out, glancing back at the door. “Why is the captain always so tense? He’s already got his own exploration ship at his age; what could possibly make him unhappy? If I had my own ship, I’d be laughing in my dreams.”

  Audrick shook his head as he leaned against the wall. “Who knows? But if he continues like this, he might not last long. Don’t you think he’s starting to resemble the madmen on the streets?”

  Deep shot him a disapproving glare. “What nonsense are you talking about! Captain Charles is so powerful; how could that be? If you keep talking like this, don’t blame me for being rude!”

  With that, Deep turned and strode toward the staircase.