The temporary camp for the maritime search and rescue team and the United Nations Space Committee is located on Rapa Island, the administrative center of the Bass Islands. It is a very small island, less than 50 square kilometers in area, equivalent to the size of a town around Wuzhong.
There is no airport on the island, so Qingmu and his friends had to fly to Tubuai Island first, and then take a boat from there to Rapa Island.
Although Tubuai Island does not have strict requirements for pets entering the country, it will still be quite a hassle to bring Boss Coal and Hanran over from Auckland Airport.
Su Huilan somehow acquired a private jet, which greatly improved the Boss Coal; he no longer had to spend his journeys in a dark, enclosed cargo hold.
Once he boarded the plane, he kept bouncing around, sometimes jumping onto the seat, sometimes flapping his wings and pressing himself against the glass to look out the window. Even Hanran had been very sleepy lately, was staring intently at the clouds that were constantly changing colors under the sunlight outside the window.
They didn't stop until their in-flight lunch was ready, and began to enjoy the delicious fish fillets and salad.
"Oh, so this is an airplane!" the Crow exclaimed excitedly.
Hanran meowed twice in response, then continued chewing her fish fillet. It seemed that her drowsiness and lack of appetite had almost completely subsided.
The plane was fully equipped and the staff were very professional, but there were only four passengers, or more precisely, only Qingmu and Su Huilan, with their two pets.
"Where did you get the plane?" Qingmu asked.
Su Huilan said, " New Zealand is a paradise for the wealthy. Rich people from all over the world buy assets here, including land, houses, and islands. Their reason is that it is far from conflicts and disputes. If a world war were to break out, New Zealand would probably be the only livable paradise that would remain unaffected. So, don't underestimate this island nation; it's where many celebrities plan to retire and live out their lives."
"Could you be one of them?" Qingmu suddenly felt that the woman in front of him was somewhat incredibly powerful.
"I don't have that much money. It just so happens that I run into an acquaintance who's traveling in Polynesia, and his plane is going to pick him up, so he's dropping us off in Mataura first."
So, we were lucky?
"Yes, we were incredibly lucky!"
Just as Su Huilan had said, the plane dropped them off at Mataura Airport, refueled, and then flew towards Faa'a International Airport in Polynesia.
Su Huilan was holding an orange cat, Qingmu had Crow on his head. This combination attracted the attention of the local residents of Tubuai Island, especially Qingmu's attire, which made him look like an ancient shaman in the eyes of these natives.
Su Huilan complained, "Look, you've scared them off; no one's come up to sell hotel or car rental services anymore."
Qingmu saw that there were indeed a few people in the distance looking at them, pointing and gesturing, seemingly wanting to come over but hesitant. When he looked at them, they immediately turned their heads away.
"The people on the island are relatively simple and honest, but we shouldn't upset them," Su Huilan said. "We need to rent a boat to Rapa Island."
Qingmu asked, "Aren't there any ferries or anything that go directly to Rapa Island?"
The Crow cawed merrily, "Renting a boat is great! Renting a boat is great! Rent a boat and travel freely!"
Su Huilan said, "If we don't rent a boat, what will we do after we get to Rapa Island? Just chat with other people at the camp? You can't rent a boat on Rapa Island; the island has less than 500 residents."
"You mean, we're going to act alone?" Qingmu understood Su Huilan's intention. "Looks like we'll have to rent a larger boat."
Just then, a young man tentatively approached and glanced at Qingmu. Crow cawed mischievously at him, startling him. He cautiously moved a few steps to the side, facing Su Huilan, and asked, "Madam, would you like to rent a car? I can take you around the whole island for a day, only $150."
Su Huilan said, "Don't think I don't know, there's only one ring road around the island."
The young man chuckled sheepishly, "Then a hundred dollars will do. That's the lowest I can go; gasoline on this island is much more expensive than where you are."
"Two hundred dollars," Su Huilan suddenly said.
"What?" The young man thought he had misheard.
Su Huilan explained, "Take me to see Petru."
The young man's earlier excitement vanished instantly, and he waved his hands repeatedly. " Petru? He's a Madman! I don't want to go near his village. How about this, fifty dollars, I'll take you on a tour around the island, and I guarantee you won't miss a single thing you should see."
"No, I'm going to see Petru," Su Huilan emphasized.
The young man shook his head, turned around, and left.
"Three hundred dollars," Su Huilan calmly called out from where she stood.
The young man slowed his pace considerably, as if he were engaged in a fierce internal struggle. After a while, he turned back as if he had made up his mind and asked, "Really three hundred dollars?"
Su Huilan conjured a hundred-dollar bill as if by magic. "Deposit."
The young man snatched the banknotes, clutched them in his hand, and said fiercely, "Fine! So what if that Madman grabs me and beats me up?"
While the young man went to get the car, Qingmu asked Su Huilan, "Who is this Petru? That guy seems really afraid of him."
Su Huilan said, "A pirate, known for his ferocity, has many stories circulating in the Gulf of Aden. It is said that he once outmaneuvered Indian warships, and navies all over the world were after him. Then he gave up and went into hiding in the South Pacific."
"He's wanted all over the world, how could he possibly be living in seclusion here?"
"That's their skill. These islands used to be France colonies, and they're still administratively under France control. Before becoming pirates, they served in the France. If you think about that connection, you'll understand why they came here to hide."
How do you know someone like that?
"I don't know him, I've only heard of him."
Why are we looking for him?
He has a boat.
"Such a big island, is he the only one with a boat?"
"He not only has a boat, but he knows the location of these islands better than satellite maps. Without a good guide, what do you think we can do at sea?"
The young man who took the money drove up in a convertible, the engine sounding like a tractor.
"Caw, your car is really shabby," the Crow complained.
"In this godforsaken place, having a car at all is a blessing! This car belonged to my second aunt's husband's boss when he got married. After he became successful, he bought a new car and gave it to his son. Later, when his son got married, he also bought a new car and sold this one to my second aunt's husband. My second aunt's husband died in a storm while fishing at sea a few years ago, and then the car came into my possession. It's a bit old, but it still runs very fast..."
As he was speaking, he suddenly felt something was wrong, so he turned around and looked back. He was startled and cried out in terror, "Oh my God, your bird can talk! Oh my God! It can talk!"