A Fishing Bust, Sowing, Deception

"Whatever happened to the beginner protection period?"

The setting sun cast long, distorted shadows across the amber fields. Carl's knuckles turned white around the crystal fishing rod.

"Twenty thousand Bomb Pomegranates, and I didn't catch a thing?"

She had used up both pieces of bait. The emerald halo over the sea was gradually fading, and all she had gotten for twenty thousand Bomb Pomegranates was the salty sea breeze...

"Tap."

Carl put down the crystal fishing rod and stood up helplessly.

"Forget it. I'll go back and tend the fields."

If she couldn't catch anything, so be it. She had only been trying out the estate's new feature anyway.

"Tap."

Following the cobblestone path, Carl passed back through the mist and stepped into the fields.

With a wave of her hand, she summoned the estate panel before her eyes:

[Estate owner: Carl (level 100)]

[Unlocked areas: farm, fishpond]

[Available plots: 900]

[Current mature crops: 28,960 Bomb Pomegranates, 10 Nen Komugi plants, 2,799 Qi and Blood Pumpkins]

[Crop seeds: 100,000 Bomb Pomegranate seeds, 810 Nen Komugi seeds, 1,260 Qi and Blood Pumpkin seeds]

[Miscellaneous: none]

The number of Bomb Pomegranates in storage made Carl wince. She wished she could grab her earlier self and give her a sound beating.

"Sow."

After fretting over the loss for a while, Carl stood beside the amber fields and willed it done.

Nine hundred pomegranate seeds appeared in midair and sank into the soil in an instant. Amid a flurry of cracking sounds, green seedlings broke through the earth.

"Water."

The brass watering can appeared at the end of the field and watered the neatly arranged seedlings one by one.

All nine hundred plots were now planted with Bomb Pomegranates.

This was the planting plan Carl had settled on after careful consideration.

Twelve harvests, with a six-hour maturity period, meant each plant could produce twelve fruits in three days.

900 × 12... 10,800 fruits!

"That's a hundred thousand in thirty days. I'll expand the estate again then!"

Carl sat beside the fields. For safety's sake, she had no intention of using the Bomb Pomegranates left in storage.

Without the ability to take her enemies down with her at any moment, she wouldn't even dare close her eyes when she slept at night!

"For the time being, I'll keep to myself."

Gazing at the green shoots covering the fields before her, Carl silently made up her mind.

As for what the Phantom Troupe would do next, she could have guessed with her ass: they would definitely look for clues and try to avenge Old Will!

But what did that have to do with her?

Old Will was nothing more than a stranger to her!

"Meteor City is such a mess. I need to take the Phantom Troupe back to the Mist Forest soon!"

Looking out over the estate's ever-expanding land, Carl felt no stir in her heart. Knowing full well that she lacked time to develop, yet foolishly going out to take risks anyway-that wasn't a decision a normal person would make!

She had done it before because the estate had yet to develop and still needed resources from outside!

But now, the estate could produce both water and food.

She lacked for nothing!

"Sigh... Why did it have to be Old Will who died...?"

"Why wasn't it..."

As a jumble of thoughts flashed through Carl's mind, inspiration struck.

Old Will's death had taken up so much of her attention that she seemed to have forgotten someone!

Where was Sheila?

Where was Sheila, whom Old Will had adopted and who had always lived at the church?

Carl suddenly realized that the church had been too "clean": there were no scratch marks from a girl struggling, nor any fragments with blond hair caught on them.

"If Sheila is still alive..."

Carl scooped up a handful of loose soil. She already had her answer.

Just because she and Sheila didn't get along didn't mean everyone in the Phantom Troupe was on bad terms with Sheila!

Most importantly, the Phantom Troupe was sure to avenge Old Will!

Put those two things together, and there was a very good chance the Phantom Troupe would go to rescue her.

"Chrollo deliberately sent me away. Could he be going to rescue her?" Carl frowned deeply.

It was Chrollo who had left the body at the church.

And it was Chrollo who had specifically sent her back to fetch someone to stitch up the body.

Putting those two things together, something felt wrong no matter how she looked at it.

No wonder the Phantom Troupe hadn't come out to update her after all that time. They had found a clue and were discussing how to deceive her!

"I'll go check Sarasa's house."

Carl stood up as patches of orange sunset clouds drifted overhead.

As its level rose, the estate's environment had become increasingly realistic.

It was already evening.

As agreed, the Phantom Troupe should be gathering at Sarasa's house by now!

Meteor City, in a secluded alley.

A figure in a black robe landed in an instant. After looking left and right to get her bearings, Carl quickly headed out.

After turning three corners, she reached Sarasa's house.

"Who goes there?!!"

Hank stood guard at the door, warily pointing the iron rod in his hand toward the dark entrance to the alley.

As Meteor City grew more chaotic, he stood guard at the door every evening to prevent thugs from coming in and attacking.

"It's me. Have Chrollo and the others come by?"

Carl pulled back her hood, revealing her face.

"Chrollo? No!"

"Other than you, I haven't seen any visitors today."

Seeing the familiar face, Hank breathed a small sigh of relief and planted the iron rod on the ground.

"Fuck!"

Carl's face darkened. She turned and ran toward the church.

Chrollo really was deceiving her!

No!

The whole Phantom Troupe was in on it. They were all deceiving her!

"Hey! It'll be dark soon!"

"Where are you going...?"

At the door, Hank stared in astonishment at Carl's retreating figure as she hurried away, then silently lowered the hand he had half raised.

The sun was about to set, and Meteor City would soon enter its most dangerous hours!

Since Carl had once cured Sarasa, he had been thinking of letting her stay the night.

"Whoosh..."

She jogged all the way, going around several streets and corners...

With the aid of Nen Aura, Carl seemed to forget her fatigue and ran all the way to the church fence in one go.

"Whew..."

As the last ray of the setting sun was swallowed by the mountains of garbage, Carl finally slowed down. She let out a stale breath, her pores opened, and sweat quickly soaked the undershirt beneath her black robe.

The ache in her legs and the suffocating sensation in her lungs hit her at the same time.

"The light's on. They haven't left yet!"

Seeing the flickering light in the church, Carl felt a surge of relief at her good fortune.

What could a bunch of young teenagers do to get revenge?

Even if they were all Nen users, they had only awakened a month ago and had barely learned the Four Major Principles!

If they were shot, they would die all the same!!!

"No, I have to take the Phantom Troupe back to the Mist Forest. We can't stay in this hellhole of Meteor City a moment longer!"

Carl walked slowly forward, reaching the church entrance just as she recovered a little of her strength.

She pushed the door open and went inside, passing through a corridor covered in dark red footprints and approaching the lit projection room one step at a time.

She had made up her mind: this time, even if she had to drag them by force, she would take the Phantom Troupe back to the Mist Forest!

"Creak!"

The rusty hinges gave a piercing squeal.

"You little brat, where did you run off to?"