Life is About Choices

In a room on the sixth floor of Breath of the Ocean, Lia gently caressed the hideous black scar on her face, staring blankly at the crystal bottle on the table for a long time.

Lia suddenly smiled casually, picked up the crystal bottle, opened the cap, and poured the liquid inside into her mouth.

A warm, tingling sensation spread through her body, especially noticeable around the scar.

In Lia's Spirituality, the dark gray mist, like ominous clouds, rapidly dispersed. Soon, the entire Spirituality world returned to clarity.

Lia felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted, and she became completely relaxed. She quickly got up and walked to the mirror. In the reflection, she was in tears, her skin was tender and smooth, and the ugly black scar was gone.

[Contribution Points: 263]

This was Ian's second visit to the Alchemist Fellowship, and he received a huge surprise.

Most of these contribution points came from the technology for propellers, watertight compartments, and wave-breaking boards, with a small portion from the profit sharing of the Enchanted Weapon Oil experience book.

He hadn't expected the technology for propellers, watertight compartments, and wave-breaking boards to be so valuable. Ian had underestimated the impact of technological upgrades on sailboats across the Sea of Miracles.

This was only because of the short time. If there had been a longer period for fermentation, Ian would have received far more contribution points.

What do you do when you have money? Buy, buy, buy, of course.

24-pound alchemical cannon, 30 contribution points. Buy another one!

3 to 18-pound alchemical cannon crafting process, 150 contribution points. Buy it!

Alchemical firearm crafting process, 70 contribution points. Buy it!

Alchemical firearms and matching ammunition. Buy two long firearms and four short firearms.

Ian left the fellowship contentedly only after spending all his contribution points.

These would be of greater help to him now. If he gained more contribution points later, he could consider crafting Magic Equipment, and delving into Alchemist sequence knowledge and Witchcraft.

On his way back, Ian made a special trip to the Bounty Hunter Guild and ordered a large batch of materials.

It wasn't until the afternoon that the cannons, materials, and other items Ian had ordered were delivered to the tower one after another.

Milta, upon receiving the firearm from Ian, excitedly ran to the seaside to test it.

Just as Ian was inventorying supplies and planning his voyage, a storm was brewing at the dedicated dock of the Whaling Group in Paradise Port not far away.

More than 2,500 people were gathered there, loosely divided into groups based on their warships.

Most of them stood opposite Abigail, behind captains like Warren. The number of people behind Guild Leader Abigail was less than six hundred.

Abigail's face was ashen. The past few days, he had used his connections to investigate the actions of the Poderia Navy, and it had disgusted him.

Bribery, supernatural temptations, seduction, gambling traps, emotional manipulation, bribing relatives, persuasion by fellow townsmen, etc. – almost every method was used, except for direct threats.

This entire operation came from the Paradise Port Supernatural Affairs Investigation Bureau, which Abigail had always looked down upon. The Navy provided the money, and the Bureau provided the personnel.

Of course, judging by the scene, the results were astonishingly effective.

It proved that human nature could not withstand temptation.

Abigail glanced at the other side of the dock, where the usually lax Paradise Port Security Force was now neatly lined up, "observing."

Abigail sighed softly. Even without the Whaling Group, he was a Sequence 6 Sea Warrior. Were they already disregarding him so much?

Abigail stroked his grayish-white beard. The anger that had just risen dissipated by more than half. He gave a wry smile, "But, I'm old."

He wondered which big shot in Poderia was behind this, so careless and unconcerned about how ugly their actions looked.

First, there was Storm Cape, then the major trading companies, and now it was his turn.

An old friend had advised him not to forget the original intention of the Whaling Group, to be able to protect themselves, and not to expand blindly.

But Abigail hadn't taken it seriously. As the Whaling Group's influence grew, he had indeed become a little carried away, especially after the Whaling Group successfully hunted a Sequence 5 sea beast. The Whaling Group's prestige even surpassed that of the Poderia Second Fleet.

Abigail withdrew his gaze, knowing that his time in Paradise Port was entering its final countdown.

He had said what needed to be said. Abigail didn't want to appear pathetic, like someone who couldn't accept defeat.

He waved his hand forcefully: "Fate is decided! Disperse!"

A low cheer rose from the crowd. The ignorant did not realize their ignorance; they only felt that someone was blocking their path.

The Whaling Group now had only one Tier 4 ship, one Tier 5 ship, and three Tier 6 ships without captains. If nothing unexpected happened, the buyers of the ships were already waiting on the Breath of the Ocean.

At least they hadn't tried to push a supernatural being with strength, connections, and money to a dead end.

They were not afraid of supernatural beings with families, as the more they had, the more "weaknesses" they possessed. A supernatural being who had nothing to lose and was willing to risk everything was what they truly feared.

"Damir, Uma, get ready. We set sail the morning after the day after tomorrow. Those who wish to leave can bring their families. Do not force those who do not wish to leave; pay them their full wages."

Damir and Uma turned and left with solemn expressions.

The Whaling Group, a powerful force, had more than one overseas base. Whale Island was the largest among them. Whale Island was located more than two thousand nautical miles southwest of Paradise Island, far from the main shipping routes.

A few years ago, Abigail discovered this island while pursuing a sea beast. The island was densely vegetated, with only a small indigenous tribe, and covered an area of nearly 100 square kilometers. Abigail named it Whale Island and had been developing it as an important stronghold for several years.

Abigail's departure was not due to despair, but because he saw clearly that there would be no Whaling Group here in the future.

Poderia had invested almost all its strength in the competition for the new continent, and Paradise Island would soon be in a state of power vacuum. Poderia could not tolerate a powerful force with hostile intentions remaining on Paradise Island.

If you refuse the dignity offered by others, you might end up with no chance for dignity at all.

Abigail turned to look at Lia one last time. Years had passed, and she was wearing her familiar half-mask again, though its meaning was different this time.

Abigail's gaze unfocused. When he'd saved her, how old had she been? Seventeen or eighteen? In the blink of an eye, five or six years had gone by.

The girl who was cursed by the Sea Demon and couldn't enter the ocean had grown up.

Abigail had searched everywhere for a cure for the curse, all to no avail. And the Seven Major Churches of the Righteous Gods, the most adept at dispelling curses, would hardly help an unbeliever.

Abigail wanted her to let go of her burning hatred and obsession, to return to a normal girl's life. But she had only become more withdrawn.

Lia had originally been the one he worried about the most. Not until this morning, when she knocked on his door, her facial scars gone, her smile bright and captivating.

He had met Trist before. He couldn't see through him, and he could only hope that Lia's choice wasn't wrong. She couldn't afford to be hurt a second time.