Charles walked alone toward the Explorer's Association, leaving Lily behind at the inn. The little girl was still feeling down, hoping that time would heal her wounds.

  As he stepped into the Explorer's Association, his gaze instinctively drifted to the corner sofa. This time, there were fewer captains present—only four, and among them was the towering beauty, Elizabeth.

  “Darling Charles, I’m over here!” Elizabeth waved her hand enthusiastically.

  Charles didn’t approach her. Instead, he pointed toward the counter and made his way there.

  “This is the information about that island,” he said, handing over the written report to the staff behind the counter.

  “Did you really go there?” The woman behind the counter looked incredulous.

  “Quickly, I don’t have time to waste,” Charles replied impatiently.

  “Sorry… I just started today. Please wait a moment while I consult my supervisor.”

  Before long, a middle-aged man wearing round glasses and a suit approached. He smiled at Charles, picked up the paper for a detailed look, and pulled out several books, seemingly cross-referencing them.

  After a long pause, he sighed and spoke respectfully, “Thank you for your significant contribution to the association. We’ve cleared away some of the unknown fog of the Sea of Mist.”

  “How much do I earn for this?”

  “For exploring a Level 5 island and providing detailed information, your total reward is 1,600,000 echoes. After deducting the governor’s tax, you’ll receive 1,450,000 echo coins.”

  To be honest, Charles was surprised by the amount; he hadn’t expected exploring an island to be so lucrative. That sum could buy a two-story house with a front yard on Coral Island. However, recalling the life-and-death crises he had faced on the island, it felt deserved; after all, he had risked his life for it.

  “Mr. Charles, you filled out the bank account information on the previous application. We can transfer the reward directly into your account. Is that alright?”

  “Let’s do that.” Charles turned toward the sofa, as he had other matters to attend to.

  “What happened to your eye?” Charles pointed at Elizabeth’s left eye, which was covered by a pirate-like black eye patch.

  “I lost an eyeball. Sigh, that island was too dangerous. Just making it back alive is a blessing; it was terrifying.” Elizabeth leaned closer, showing no signs of fear.

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  “Why are there so few people today?” Charles observed the other three unfamiliar faces.

  “Captains returning on Saturday afternoons all gather here. Usually, it’s just a few of us. Huh? Why are you wearing a ring on your ring finger? Have you gotten married? My heart is breaking!” Elizabeth traced her finger over Charles's ring.

  Charles raised his left hand and shook it. “It’s just a keepsake. By the way, Elizabeth, how are artifacts traded among explorers?”

  Upon hearing this, the curious gazes of the other three turned toward Charles.

  “Typically, trading happens on Saturday afternoons, but you can show me now. If it’s valuable, I can offer a reasonable price.”

  The speaker was a young man holding a bottle of alcohol, his expression lethargic. His clothes were filthy, stained with alcohol, and even from two meters away, Charles could smell his sour odor.

  Charles pulled out the remaining two artifacts and placed them on the table.

  The four of them, including Elizabeth, carefully examined the items. After a while, the drunken young man spoke up.

  “Artifacts without identification usually don’t have a fixed price, but let’s be friends. Hic~ 300,000 for each; I’ll take both.”

  This was a gamble, as no one knew what these artifacts truly did. If they had significant side effects, it would be like paying for trouble.

  “The price is fair,” Elizabeth whispered into Charles’s ear, her lips brushing against him.

  “Alright, deal.” Charles shifted aside.

  “I’m William. If you have other artifacts in the future, feel free to work with me again.” The young man said, pouring a packet of red powder into his bottle and taking a swig.

  Watching William start to convulse, Charles gave Elizabeth a puzzled look.

  “It’s nothing; just the powder of Joy Fruit. He’s been using that stuff for half a year.”

  A highly addictive substance? As he observed William’s runny nose and tears, a suspicion crossed Charles’s mind.

  Not wanting to dwell on the other captains’ affairs, he turned back to the towering beauty beside him.

  “Do you still have that jelly that eliminates auditory hallucinations? I need to buy some.”

  Although auditory hallucinations didn’t occur frequently, they were still bothersome when they did.

  “I have some left. But you know, this stuff is really addictive. If you stop taking it, the withdrawal can be brutal.”

  “Do you have any other ways to resolve this issue?”

  “Sure,” Elizabeth replied quickly. “Just get on land, and this problem will be solved quickly.”

  Charles immediately dismissed that idea; he would never set foot on land again.

  After chatting with the other captains for a while, Charles glanced at the clock and stood up. “Miss Elizabeth, please bring some with you on Saturday; I’ll buy them. It’s getting late; we’ll talk next time.”

  As soon as Charles left, Elizabeth stood up, a faint smile on her face, and followed him.

  At the dock, watching the laborers bustling about, moving cargo, Charles found himself at a loss for what to do.

  “Oh right, I need to buy a pocket watch.”

  By the time Charles returned to his room, he had already acquired a shiny pocket watch in the inner pocket of his coat.

  As he opened the door to his room, he was greeted by a flurry of mice scurrying about.

  “Mr. Charles, you’re back…” The once sunny and cheerful Lily lay on the bed, her voice lifeless.

  After giving her head a gentle pat, Charles walked over to his desk and began writing in his journal.

  Lily, curious, came over to peek but quickly lost interest and wandered away, unable to make sense of the scrawled characters.

  “Knock, knock, knock.” The sound of knocking echoed in the small room.

  With a glance at Lily, Charles signaled, and the mice instantly scurried into various corners. Within seconds, he was the only living being left in the room.

  As he opened the door, a generous bosom filled his view. He looked up to see the towering beauty, Elizabeth.

  “Darling, why are you staying here? This place doesn’t have good soundproofing.”