The cruise ship slowly pulled up to the dock, and the heavy gangway was lowered with a dull metallic crash.
Bai Zhu carried a suitcase half as tall as a person and was the first to step down the gangway.
His loose pajamas and flip-flops stood in stark contrast to the formally dressed crew behind him.
The moment his feet touched the solid ground of the Kakin Empire, a stench mixed with seawater, dust, and some unknown fermented substance hit him head-on.
He raised his eyes and swept his gaze across the harbor square before him.
Then his entire body froze, and the suitcase nearly slipped from his hand.
At the edge of the square, three local men were squatting by the roadside without a care in the world, facing the sea with their pants pulled down to their knees, looking utterly relaxed and content.
A few meters away, a vendor selling flatbread leisurely tossed dough through the air, oil splattering everywhere. He was completely unfazed by the freely flying sights beside him, occasionally even using his grease-covered hand to fix his hair with great flair.
Even more outrageous, his business seemed pretty good. There were actually several people lined up in front of his stall.
Bai Zhu's brain crashed for three seconds.
A long-buried thought struck him like lightning.
Clean and hygienic, brothers!
He suddenly spun around and charged back up the gangway with his suitcase, moving more than three times faster than when he had disembarked.
"Plan canceled!" he shouted as he ran. "Destination changed to Oikima! This place isn't fit for human habitation!"
A hand reached out from behind and precisely grabbed the back of his collar.
Ging hauled him back, pure confusion in his voice. "Milluki said he met you in Kakin. No matter what, this