Chapter 374 - 372: Where Did I Go Wrong?

After hanging up, Faye Yardley opened her door and went to the workbench, preparing to make more Blood Replenishing Potions and torches.

"Sister, I can keep an eye on the workbench. You didn’t have a proper dinner tonight, why don’t you eat something now?"

Faye Yardley looked at Willow and hummed in agreement. She sat down on the small sofa nearby, then took out one dish after another from her warehouse, along with a bowl of aromatic sticky rice.

"Willow, do you like living here?"

"I love it. It’s great here, Sister."

"But you’re trapped on this raft; you can’t go anywhere."

Willow Yardley glanced at the workbench before turning to face Faye Yardley. "This is your home, Sister, which means it’s my home, too. What’s not to like about being in your own home? I don’t need to go anywhere. I’m perfectly happy just being able to look after our home."

’Is that so?’

Faye Yardley murmured, "Oh," and thought, ’No wonder you’re the homemaker type. Home really is everything to you.’

Then she wondered, ’But is this place my home?’

"Aren’t you happy here, Sister?"

Faye Yardley thought about it seriously for a moment before replying, "It’s not that I’m unhappy. And after traveling elsewhere, coming back here does give me a sense of peace. Home is where the heart is, as they say. So yes, this is my home."

Late that night, the raft docked at the pier on Conch Isle. The person guarding the pier stared, wide-eyed, at the raft. It wasn’t until they saw Faye Yardley disembark that they realized this was the Island Master’s vessel.

’As expected of the Island Master,’ he thought. ’Even her raft is one of a kind.’

Faye Yardley glanced at him and gave a slight nod. Then, a vine shot out, wrapped around her, and whisked her away.

The man rubbed his eyes. ’Strange... how did the Island Master disappear in the blink of an eye? Well, at least her massive vessel is still here.’

"Bramble, take me to the laboratory."

In a flash, Faye Yardley landed in front of the laboratory’s main entrance.

Seeing someone appear out of thin air, the guards’ first reaction was to reach for their guns. Only when they got a clear look at the newcomer did they snap to attention and salute.

Faye Yardley smiled at them and walked briskly inside. As she reached the laboratory’s main entrance, she was surprised to find Marlin already waiting.

"Island Master, you’re here. Did you bring the items?"

"Yes. I can give them to you now. And since I’m here, give me a tour of the laboratory. Is everything operational?"

Marlin nodded, then shook his head. "Not everything is being used, but we’ve activated two sections. It would be better to hand over the items after we go inside, Island Master. It might not be a good idea for me to handle them directly out here."

Faye followed Marlin into the laboratory and changed into a protective suit. She felt it was unnecessary, but since Marlin insisted, she did as he asked.

With researchers, lab equipment, newly added office furniture, and a lounge that looked like it was rarely used, the entire laboratory had come to life.

She handed all the Egg Ores over to the lab, including the one that had been shattered into several pieces. After a brief tour of the facility, she noticed that aside from the guards on duty, no one was paying her any attention. Seeing how enthusiastic and focused they all were, Faye Yardley left.

’It’s only polite not to disturb people while they’re working.’

After exiting the main doors of the laboratory, Faye Yardley called out, "Bramble."

A second later, a vine wrapped around her and whisked her away.

Once she was out of sight, the guards exchanged bewildered glances.

"You think it would work if we shouted for Bramble? That’s basically teleportation, right?"

"In your dreams. Instead of thinking about that, you should be wondering how the researchers inside are going to convert those cars to electric vehicles. Then we’d have something to drive."

"That should be soon, right? They already converted one and got it running during the day."

Bramble brought Faye Yardley to a cluster of reefs near the pier.

"Thanks, Bramble. Has Jennifer come ashore recently?"

The vine swayed back and forth several times, and Faye understood. ’Looks like she really cried herself to exhaustion last time.’

She found a relatively flat reef and sat down, gazing at the vast, dark sea under the moonlight.

"Bramble, do you think this ocean is the same one my raft usually sails on?"

Faye asked the question, but she didn’t really expect Bramble to be able to answer her.

"I think I’ll go into the water and have a look. You keep watch here."

With that, she stood up, took a few leaps, and then dove headfirst into the sea.

The water was clear, and the moon was bright.

In the shallows, Faye Yardley could see clearly underwater with the help of the moonlight.

Along the way, she picked up a few beautifully shaped conches, as well as a few large sea cucumbers. She didn’t like to eat them, but she figured someone on her brother’s crew would.

Then, she swam on toward the deeper waters.

She didn’t encounter any threatening creatures along the way.

This was good news. It meant the people on the island wouldn’t run into any trouble if they went into the water in the shallows.

’Oh, right,’ she remembered. ’I also wanted to find an area to try planting some deep-sea water grass.’

’Even though it’s called deep-sea water grass, planting it somewhere a little shallower should be fine, right?’

She had left a little for the lab earlier, but she decided to get started on her own and plant it first.

She was already a good distance from the coast. Instead of swimming farther out, she began to dive downward.

When she felt she was deep enough, Faye Yardley took two stalks of deep-sea water grass from her backpack. She dug a hole in the sandy seabed, planted them, then found a few large stones to press down around the roots.

However, the stalks quickly attracted a swarm of fish and shrimp, which gathered around to nibble on them. Faye couldn’t shoo them away fast enough.

’Damn it! I haven’t even had my fill yet, and I wanted to cultivate more. I just planted them, and you all show up to reap the rewards? Dream on!’

She pulled the stalks right back up and stored them in her backpack.

’Fine, I’m not planting them anymore!’

’As I figured, just planting it anywhere won’t work. This water grass is just too popular with fish, shrimp, and other small sea creatures.’

’Delicious things are popular everywhere, I suppose.’

After giving up on the idea of planting them herself, Faye Yardley continued onward and deeper into the sea.

She was now holding a Luminous Pearl. The ocean was tranquil, and the fish swam by in eerie silence.

As she walked along the seafloor, Faye Yardley only knew she was moving forward. She had probably lost her original heading long ago, but it didn’t matter; she had no destination in mind anyway.

She saw Lanternfish again, but their ugly appearance gave Faye Yardley no interest in attacking them.

They didn’t show much interest in Faye Yardley either, and so, strangely, they coexisted peacefully.

’Perhaps because of the glowing Luminous Pearl in my hand, they see me as some kind of mutated relative?’

Whatever the reason, under the illumination of the sparkling Lanternfish, Faye Yardley saw a flash of silver from the corner of her eye.

Her heart skipped a beat. ’Could there be a Silver Treasure Chest here?’

She immediately swam quickly in that direction.

Hmm?

’I’m sure I saw it in this corner a moment ago. Why can’t I see that glint of silver now?’

She had absolute faith in her own eyes and wouldn’t suspect she was seeing things. ’So, is it because my angle is wrong that I can’t see it?’

She swam back, adjusted her position again and again, and saw it once more as another Lanternfish swam past.

But when she swam over again, she still couldn’t find it.

’What am I doing wrong?’