Charles climbed out of bed and ordered his first mate to unwrap all the bandages on his body.

  Facing the dense tattoos, Charles leaned in to scrutinize them closely.

  “Help! I’m trapped in this body and can’t get out! A demon has taken my place! Don’t believe what he says!!”

  As he read the first line, a jolt ran through Charles, and a flood of thoughts surged into his mind. But glancing at the silent bandage next to him, he chose to remain quiet and continued reading.

  “Don’t trust Ginny! She’s not your daughter!”

  “Don’t go searching for anything; your current life is what you once could only dream of.”

  “You are called Freud; you have women, wealth, and honor. You have everything now; you’re happy—don’t think of anything else!”

  “Never go to sea; there are no answers there.”

  “Remember, your lifelong goal is to kill Sika! It was it who killed my wife, Ginny!”

  “Go find the black crystal; it’s said to be poisonous. Eat it and see if it helps.”

  “I’m tired; I want to sacrifice everything to the omnipotent and omniscient god Vutan.”

  “Find the light of the sea! It cursed us!!”

  The bandages were filled with contradictory ramblings, each segment unrelated to the next. Useful information was scarce; aside from the fact that he was once called Freud, there were only a collection of meaningless terms.

  “I’ve looked at what’s on my body… but it’s useless… I don’t remember… when I got these tattoos…”

  Charles sighed. If the tattoos contained useful information, the bandage wouldn’t be in this state.

  “Alright, you can go now. If you remember anything, let me know.”

  No matter who the bandage was before, his identity now was simply the first mate of the Narwhal.

  Charles pulled out his diary and marked an X over the coordinates of the island they had just visited.

  Regardless of whether that island was part of the underwater entity, it clearly had no useful resources. The islands used by the "King" for material compensation were definitely not this one.

  Charles’s pen traced over the remaining islands. Excluding the three that could be explored by Kede, there were only a few left that could be reached by the current steamship.

  Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.

  As long as he found a supply point, they could explore the distant islands afterward.

  “Father!! Why did you intercept my telegrams?! No wonder Mr. Charles never replies to me. It turns out he never received them!!”

  Margaret, dressed in an exquisite white gown, argued heatedly with Daniel, who sat behind the long table.

  The fearless governor of the island felt a headache coming on. He patiently tried to persuade her, “Do you really have to ask this question at your birthday party? Everyone is waiting for you. Why don’t you go out and play with your friends? We can discuss this tomorrow.”

  “No! This matter is more important than any birthday party. You must have seen the telegrams I sent, right??”

  “Daughter, I’m doing this for your own good. I can’t let you fall into danger again.”

  “How can you say that! Mr. Charles is my friend! He’s not dangerous!”

  Daniel’s forehead bulged with veins as he slammed his left hand on the long table, which was made from a single log, instantly shattering it in two.

  His roar was so loud that even the guards outside could hear it clearly.

  “Enough!! I’ve already said, I won’t allow you to associate with him anymore! You live in different worlds! If you keep this up, don’t blame me for sending someone to kill that greedy madman!!”

  Margaret stared blankly at her father for three seconds, tears streaming down her fair face as she bit her lip and ran out. “Father! I hate you!!”

  Daniel watched his daughter’s retreating figure, trembling with anger. He looked around, grabbed a bronze statue from a nearby cabinet, and crushed it in his hands, turning it into a ball. Yet his fury remained undiminished.

  Margaret found herself alone in the quiet garden, sitting on a bench and silently wiping her tears.

  A lady slowly approached her; it was her mother, Kalita.

  Understanding her husband and daughter’s tempers well, Kalita had anticipated this outcome. Dressed in a lavish evening gown, she sat down beside her daughter.

  “Your father is just like that. Wait until he cools down, and then talk to him. We’re family; why make things so unpleasant?”

  “I hate him.” Margaret sulked, tugging at the petals of a flower in her hand.

  “Dear, today is your birthday; let’s go cut the cake. Everyone is waiting for you.”

  “Mother, I don’t want to go. Just let me be alone for a while.” The girl stubbornly turned her head away.

  “Is that Charles really that important to you?”

  Margaret’s face flushed as she looked down and replied, “No… I just want to thank him again. If it weren’t for his help, I wouldn’t have made it back.”

  Seeing her daughter’s expression, Kalita shook her head helplessly. Having been a girl herself, she knew well the thoughts of young women.

  “Daughter, I don’t know what you’re thinking, but you know he’s an exploration ship captain. You two are not suited for each other.”

  “So what? Our ancestors were exploration ship captains too! If it weren’t for them exploring the unknown seas, there would be no Hereafter Island today.”

  “Sigh, that’s not what I’m saying. You know how dangerous such things are. Do you want to become a widow at such a young age? Just like Anna?”

  Just as Margaret was about to retort, a gentle cough suddenly came from behind them.

  Both mother and daughter turned to see a beautiful woman wearing a black hat and veil standing behind them.

  In a high-slit, low-cut black silk gown that hugged her curves, this stunning beauty exuded a captivating charm.

  Kalita felt a flush rise to her cheeks, realizing that she had been speaking ill of someone who was now right behind her. It was incredibly awkward.

  She quickly stood up, saying, “Miss Anna, I didn’t mean it that way. I was just trying to comfort my daughter.”

  “Mrs. Kalita, I understand. I’m not upset. Why don’t you let me talk to Miss Margaret? We’re closer in age and will have more to discuss.”

  Seeing her daughter’s sulky expression, Kalita gently nodded and turned to leave.

  Perhaps she understood how painful it was for a woman who had just lost her husband.

  With the woman’s departure, the garden fell silent again. Anna gently sat down beside Margaret.