Ten years passed in the blink of an eye.
During that time, the population of the Island Kingdom grew rapidly.
Now, the kingdom's people were scattered across the three islands it possessed.
Sea Snake Island, once used to exile criminals, had officially been renamed Silver Scale Island.
Priest Shaster and some of his subordinates went to Silver Scale Island to establish territory.
The once exceptionally desolate Silver Scale Island had also become the third habitable land, no longer an island solely for exiling criminals.
Silver Scale Island's terrain was highly distinctive.
The southern region was flat and had sparse jungle.
The northern region had complex terrain, with endless jungle as far as the eye could see. It was also the main area where Sea Snakes roamed. Exiled criminals were concentrated in a cave there, guarded by designated personnel and forced into hard labor such as felling timber, catching Sea Snakes, and making leather.
On the southern shore of Silver Scale Island.
Transport ships often docked there, delivering supplies or laborers to this still-desolate island.
The Island Kingdom now had more than a dozen improved ships. Some were transport ships responsible for hauling cargo and personnel, while others were exploration ships that scouted the seas. Their size had completely surpassed that of the old Redwood giant ships, especially the exploration ships; each one could hold around a hundred people.
Although the regular pay of exploration ship crews and transport ship crews did not differ much, and their status appeared similarly close.
Once a new island with exploitable resources was discovered, however, their status would undergo a dramatic change.
All because of a decree issued by Lukar:
Any ship that discovered an island with exploitable resources, once it passed the kingdom's inspection, would grant its crew permanent ownership of thirty percent of