Wolf's Secret Base

The next morning, while everyone was still fast asleep, an old man arrived at their house.

After a bit of a commotion, everyone got dressed and sat down in the living room.

"I heard some noise from here last night, so I guessed you were back."

The old man looked at Rod and Nerl with great satisfaction, then shifted his gaze to Nia and Grey, who was lying on the bed.

"Are these the companions you found? It seems you've decided to set sail."

"Long time no see, Dr. Wolf."

Rod greeted the old man with a grin. He had received a lot of care from him during their childhood.

When Rod first arrived, he was just a little kid, and Nerl was even younger. If Dr. Wolf hadn't taken them in, it would have been hard for two children to survive in this world. Even with Rod's cheat, he might have died before he could even develop.

Dr. Wolf looked at each of them in turn, his eyes filled with emotion.

He had watched almost all of these kids grow up, including Rod and Nerl, and later Law, Pekoms, and Shakky. In his heart, they were like his own children. He always knew they were not the kind of people who would settle for mediocrity.

Not to mention, they had been actively preparing to set sail since they were young, all of which he had witnessed.

"As a friend, this is all I can do. Follow me!"

With a mysterious smile, Dr. Wolf beckoned to them and led them towards the woods behind the mountain.

A flicker of understanding flashed in Rod's eyes as he took the lead behind Dr. Wolf. Nerl, ignoring Grey's protests, picked him up from the bed and threw him onto Bepo's back. They then followed into the depths of the forest.

"This is it, my laboratory."

As they walked through the forest, about four kilometers in, Dr. Wolf stopped in front of a rock face. He then tapped a certain spot on the rock face, revealing a switch. After pressing the switch, a large door suddenly opened in the rock face.

The group looked astonished and followed Dr. Wolf into the secret room behind the rock face. They walked down a long staircase, and the walls on either side of the stairs had clearly been modified, emitting a faint glow.

Pekoms couldn't help but speak up:

"I didn't expect you to actually have a secret research lab! Damn it, you've been hiding it from us for so long. This is a secret base no one could refuse!"

"You little brat, you didn't believe me all this time!"

"You're the old fool! Hiding such an amazing secret base so deeply."

Pekoms' eyes were filled with novelty and excitement, a thrill of adventure.

"Huh? Scientist!?"

Grey, who had been lying behind Bepo, suddenly perked up, craning his neck to look around the hidden laboratory.

"Let me tell you, I'm a genius inventor. I've been working on the technology for an aircraft. Once my invention is complete, it will be much easier to travel to other islands. Everyone will be able to reach their destinations directly by aircraft, instead of drifting on the sea."

"I see, that's quite a good idea. My name is Grey, and I'm a scientist. My dream is to build warships even more powerful than the legendary Hades!"

"However, what will power the aircraft you mentioned? How will it stay airborne? And if it flies in the sky, how will its safety be ensured if it encounters strong convective weather? How will it land smoothly with cushioning when it descends..."

Following Dr. Wolf's train of thought, Grey fired off a barrage of questions, simultaneously forming rapid ideas in his mind.

"Wow! What a great ship!"

"I didn't expect a ship to be hidden down here!"

"Could it be that this is for us?"

A few exclamations interrupted Grey's incessant chatter. The group followed Dr. Wolf's steps to the very bottom of the laboratory and saw a beautiful ship docked on an underground river.

However...

"This ship isn't completely finished, is it?"

It was clearly a half-finished vessel, with only the basic frame built. The mast and the design on the deck were yet to be completed.

"Yes, I originally intended to give you my submarine, but you didn't seem to like it."

Facing Dr. Wolf's slightly resentful gaze, Rod turned his head away sheepishly.

Although the yellow submarine that accompanied Law on his journey in the original story was good, he still preferred a more ordinary sailboat with a large deck where he could sunbathe.

"You guys can help me out. I think you'd also like to finish your own ship with your own hands!"

"Leave it to me!"

Grey excitedly jumped off Bepo's back, looking eagerly at the half-built ship before him.

He finally had the chance to realize his ideas!

"I'll say it upfront, there are no materials here to support you in building a super warship."

"I know, I know."

He replied perfunctorily, rushing to the half-finished ship and caressing it with a hint of obsession, his mind racing with all sorts of thoughts.

"I'll just remind you of one thing: don't install too many cannons. We don't have enough people on board to operate them."

Seeing Grey lost in his own world, Rod could only shout this reminder in his ear.

From his dream of building an invincible warship surpassing Hades, it was clear he was a heavy firepower enthusiast.

After receiving an affirmative reply, he turned to look at Dr. Wolf.

"It seems our shipwright wants to finish it by himself."

"This kid should still be injured."

Looking at the bandages wrapped around Grey, Wolf hesitated.

"Hahaha, after you fell from the sky, didn't you immediately improve your device?"

Hmph!

Hearing Rod mention his embarrassing incident, Wolf snorted coldly, then waved his hand, signaling them to leave quickly.

"Well then, let's go buy some things. There's a lot to prepare for setting sail."

In the following days, Grey became engrossed in building the pirate ship, intensely discussing various plans with Doctor Wolf.

Bepo and Law busied themselves assisting them. Having helped Doctor Wolf with mechanical work since they were young, they had some experience in this area.

Moreover, with their imminent departure, Law also wanted to spend more time with the old man who had always looked out for him.

As for Pekoms and Shakky, they took Rod and the others to the nearby Joy Town to purchase supplies. Unlike Rod and his companions who later drifted there, these two had grown up there since childhood and knew the ins and outs of every shop.

Time flew by, and half a month quickly passed. Their pirate ship, fueled by Grey's high spirits, was perfected day by day, finally being completed one morning.