Everyone nodded in agreement.
"Exactly! Exactly! The heroine is right!"
Just then, the old woman brought the Dragon Ball over to Bulma.
"Young lady, your bodyguard is amazing. This is for you!"
Bulma took the Dragon Ball and replied, "Thank you!
"Anyone whose daughter has been found, hurry and follow us."
"Me, me! Over here!"
Several old men hurried over.
Before long, a large crowd of villagers followed them to Oolong's manor.
Oolong had been so terrified by Goku's staff that he'd nearly wet himself. He didn't even dare try to run away along the way.
Just as Bulma and Goku had expected,
Oolong's manor was enormous and practically palatial.
Not a single one of the girls he'd kidnapped had been mistreated.
They were all enjoying themselves at Oolong's manor!
After dealing with Oolong and getting the Dragon Ball,
Bulma and Goku set off on a new journey once more.
There was no helping it. Goku's swing just now had been way too cool.
She was a little worried. The villagers here weren't right in the head; they'd actually wanted to give away their daughters.
She didn't dare stay here with Goku.
That trap with Chi-Chi would haunt her for the rest of her life.
If Goku got lured away by some young girl, she'd be the one losing out.
As for Oolong, Bulma didn't take him along.
He was a fool who could only transform, and he was especially lecherous.
With Goku around, they didn't need him.
They didn't linger in the village.
Before long, Bulma and Goku were riding the Flying Nimbus,
heading toward Fire Mountain, where the sixth Dragon Ball was.
The drive would have taken three or four days,
but with the Flying Nimbus, they could get there in just a day and a half.
If they flew at full speed, they could actually make it in half a day.
But the speed was too much for Bulma's body to handle.
Her body wasn't as tough as Goku's. She couldn't withstand the wind resistance at supersonic speeds.
As they sped along, Bulma saw the mountains and rivers she'd encountered in her previous life but never truly appreciated.
The lake was clear as a mirror, and their reflections looked like a golden ribbon,
gliding freely between the mountains and over the water.
The wind stirred up by the Flying Nimbus sent ripples across the lake,
like a young girl's skirt swaying gently, graceful and lovely.
The water shimmered, reflecting the mountains on either shore,
like jewels set in jade, gleaming brilliantly.
Looking at the beautiful scenery, Bulma let her mind drift without realizing it.
Only someone like her, who had personally experienced darkness,
could discover at every turn that the world was truly beautiful everywhere.
After half a day of flying, the two of them finally left the mountainous region.
They reached the skies above a desert.
Just as Bulma was about to ask Goku if he wanted to run the rest of the way,
Goku's stomach began to growl.
Bulma smiled.
"Oh, we forgot to eat! If you were hungry, why didn't you say so sooner?"
Goku gave an awkward smile. "I ate so much this morning, and I haven't even exercised much today. Getting hungry already feels a little unreasonable."
"If you're hungry, just say so. Besides, it's already noon!
"We brought plenty of food.
"Why don't we land here and have lunch?"
"Sure!"
Bulma looked around and spotted a flat stretch of ground.
"Flying Nimbus, take us down over there!"
Soon, Bulma opened the Capsule House and started preparing lunch.
Goku was too hungry to train,
so he sat on the sofa and casually watched TV.
When he happened to see Bulma's back as she bustled around the open kitchen, a faint smile crossed Goku's face.
Bulma really was a good girl. Not only was she beautiful and had a great figure,
but she also had an amazing personality.
She came from the richest family in the world,
yet she wasn't the least bit spoiled or unreasonable like a young lady.
She even knew how to cook and take care of him.
Bulma was truly outstanding.
She wasn't just highly intelligent; she was also brave and adventurous,
kindhearted, compassionate, independent, and self-reliant.
At that moment, Son Goku thought of the Bulma of the future again,
and added "strong, capable woman" to the list of traits he'd assigned her.
There was no use analyzing it too closely. She really was just too perfect.
Son Goku thought about it. In a peaceful world,
he was nowhere near good enough for her.
Since Bulma had prepared so many ingredients that were already partly cooked,
just half an hour later, she had a lavish feast tailored to Goku's tastes on the table.
"Goku, wash your hands and dig in!"
"Wow, that smells great!"
Goku quickly rinsed his hands, wiped them haphazardly,
then sat down and began to wolf down the food.
The delicious flavors burst across his tongue.
The moment the food entered his mouth,
Son Goku felt his soul drifting on the wind, just like the over-the-top Whis.
"Wow, this is so delicious!"
As Goku ate his steak and bacon,
Bulma, smiling fondly, peeled a few big shrimp for him and poured him a glass of juice.
"Slow down. Don't choke.
"Here, have some shrimp and a drink!"
Goku accepted the plate and drink. "Mm, thanks, Bulma!"
Bulma's lips curled up as she pretended to be annoyed. "We're good friends. You don't have to be so polite with me."
Goku paused, then broke into a smile.
"Mm, we're good friends.
"Then I won't hold back!"
"Mm-hmm, go ahead!"
Goku began eating in big mouthfuls again.
Watching Goku eat made Bulma's own appetite stir.
She picked up her bowl and started eating too.
Just as they were enjoying their meal, a sudden explosion rang out,
and their house began to shake violently.
Dust rained down from the ceiling with every tremor,
instantly coating the half-finished feast in a layer of grime.
"Crack, crack..."
The sounds of the building breaking echoed nonstop in their ears.
Feeling as though the roof had been damaged and something was about to fall,
Bulma was still dazed, unable to figure out what was happening.
But Son Goku had already stopped eating and thrown himself over Bulma to shield her from the falling debris.
Sure enough.
The instant Goku landed on top of Bulma,
several bricks suddenly fell, but luckily, they hit Goku's tough body instead.
Then the beams came crashing down too.
The Capsule House collapsed in an instant, and rocks and bricks came tumbling down.
The two of them were buried beneath the rubble.
Chapter 16: The Butterfly Effect Was Truly Terrifying
At that moment, a young man with a sword at his waist stood not far from the collapsed Capsule House.
He had a rocket launcher slung over his shoulder, and wisps of pale smoke still drifted from its muzzle.
He was Wild Bandit Yamcha,
and he was staring smugly at the collapsed Capsule House.
"Looks like this Capsule House isn't very well made!
"It's so flimsy. One shot and it's wrecked. What a shame!"
As soon as he finished speaking, bricks and rubble scattered across the ruins.
Son Goku crawled out from the wreckage, pushing some of the building debris aside.