For now, Charles trusted Tuba. The old man was indeed eccentric, but given his earlier actions, it seemed he had no ill intentions. After all, he could have easily left them to be captured by the pirates.

  As they walked along the rocky passage, Charles could see the pirates below, appearing like ants at the dock, and the distant ships on the sea looked like toy boats.

  The path through the mountain town was narrow, with a few pirates brushing past them without any sign of aggression. They merely glanced at Tuba and went about their business, as if the old man’s cross truly granted them invisibility.

  “Mr. Charles, are we really invisible? Why aren’t they attacking us?” Lily, perched on Charles’s shoulder, curiously reached out her tiny paw toward a pirate’s clothing.

  “No, we’re not,” Charles replied, knowing they weren’t invisible but still puzzled about how the old man had managed to create this illusion.

  After following Tuba for nearly half an hour, they arrived at the entrance of a low cave.

  “Once we go through here, you’ll see what you’re looking for,” Tuba said cheerfully, bending down to crawl inside.

  “You’re not saying the fuel is buried in this mountain, are you?” Charles asked, skeptical.

  If the fuel was indeed hidden inside, he might as well have charged into the black market they had just left; at least there he would have had a fighting chance. Transporting fuel from inside the mountain would likely lead to them being surrounded by pirates before they could finish.

  “No, it’s on the other side of the mountain. The fuel comes out from there,” Tuba replied in a deep, echoing voice from within the cave.

  The cave was cramped and stifling, forcing them to crouch as they moved, creating a sense of oppression. After nearly ten minutes of walking, Charles, with his excellent physical resilience, was managing fine, but Fairbach was starting to struggle.

  Hearing Fairbach’s heavy breathing behind him, Charles asked, “Are you okay?”

  Fairbach wiped the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve. “I’m fine! Just a bit suffocated. Compared to this, I definitely prefer the open sea.”

  This discomfort didn’t last long; five minutes later, they emerged from the other side of the mountain.

  The view opened up dramatically. Standing on the hillside, Charles looked down to see scattered buildings nestled within the valley. However, his gaze was drawn to the most striking sight: a massive, ruined circular structure by the seaside.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

  This giant industrial facility, nearly as large as the surrounding mountains, was in a state of disrepair due to time, yet it still left Charles in awe.

  “Wow, something this big couldn’t have been built by the pirates. It must have been the Foundation’s doing. How do they manage to be everywhere?” Richard chimed in.

  “Over there, that’s where the fuel comes from,” Tuba pointed towards a group of buildings beneath the circular structure.

  The area Tuba indicated was a black shed estimated to be the size of four football fields. From above, it was impossible to tell what was inside, but several tall towers surrounded it, with searchlights illuminating the area. The security looked extremely tight.

  From his vantage point, Charles noticed more details: behind the factory, a tangled maze of tracks could be seen. These weren’t train tracks but rather those for mine carts, transporting something towards the back of the island’s mountain.

  Due to the distance, Charles couldn’t see what was in the mine carts, only that they were dark.

  “Let’s head down,” Tuba said, happily making his way down the steep rocky path.

  “Is the fuel here coal or some leftover whale oil?” Charles asked.

  He didn’t even bother asking about charcoal; in a place where not even grass grew, there was no way they could have charcoal fuel.

  “Coal? Whale oil? What’s that? I don’t know! We just call it black balls. We’ve been burning that stuff since we got here,” Tuba replied.

  Charles pondered this information. “Sounds like coal. It seems this island has rich coal resources.”

  Once they descended the mountain, they cautiously approached the giant facility.

  After walking quietly for several minutes around the circular structure, they found themselves close to the dark shed. Charles could even see the white breath of the patrolling pirates on the high platform.

  Just as Tuba was about to walk towards the black iron door of the building, Charles stopped him. “What are you doing?”

  “It’s fine! I can turn invisible; I’m not afraid! They can’t see us!” Tuba patted his chest and pulled out the crumpled cross again.

  Charles couldn’t let him act recklessly. While Tuba might have some special ability, they were clearly in a crucial location for the island, likely guarded by much stronger pirates. If Tuba made even a slight mistake, it could ruin the entire mission.

  Instead of letting this crazy old man rush in, he had a better plan.

  “Lily, let your friend scout ahead,” Charles instructed the mouse on his shoulder.

  The small mouse was clearly suited for stealth and reconnaissance, which was why Charles had brought Lily along.

  “Eek! Eek!” The brown mouse quickly hopped around for a moment, and four mice scurried into the shadows toward the buildings.

  “Mr. Charles, don’t worry! I taught them a lot before! Jumping will definitely be able to communicate clearly this time,” Lily assured him.

  With a serious expression, Charles nodded. As long as they could determine whether this was indeed a fuel factory, their mission on the island would be complete.

  Time passed slowly, and Charles grew increasingly anxious, frequently checking his pocket watch. He had never felt time drag on so painfully.

  “Hey, should we go take a look inside?” Richard suggested, glancing toward the massive circular structure beside them.

  “Don’t go looking for trouble; haven’t you caused enough already?” Charles muttered through clenched teeth.

  “How can that be called looking for trouble? The place is so dilapidated it doesn’t even have a roof. What danger could there be? Look, there are spider webs.”

  Charles remained unmoved, standing still as he watched his watch.

  “This is boring! This facility belongs to the Foundation. What if there’s crucial information about an exit inside?” Richard pressed.

  “Stop talking nonsense; I don’t want to argue with you right now.”

  “Then how about a compromise? Let Lily’s mice go in? That should work, right?”