Bandage rode his green postman's bike through the streets.
More people died on the outer islands and there were fewer letters, but he still did his job meticulously.
There is only one letter left in the green parcel, and it's time to go back after delivering it.
At this moment, the voice of a middle-aged man who was lying in a recliner reading a newspaper next to him reached his ears.
"Damn it! The sea level is actually rising, those bastards from the Church of Light! If the Pope was really in front of me, I would shoot him with a gun!!"
"Crunch~" As Bandage gripped the bicycle's handbrake with his fingers, he stopped in front of the last customer.
Before Bandage could stuff the last letter into the mailbox, the wooden door inlaid with colorful shells opened and an old lady with gray hair walked out.
"Don't put it in the mailbox, young man, just give it to me directly. Is it in the name of Johnson?"
Bandage glanced at the envelope in his hand. It showed that the sender was Johnson Parker from Coral Island. "Hmm..."
The old woman took two quick steps to the side of the bandage and opened the envelope with some excitement.
When she quickly finished reading the contents, her face with age spots showed extreme joy. She put the envelope against her chest and said with a trembling voice: "Thank God, he was not killed by the death ray, he is still alive!"
Without asking for Bandage's opinion, the old woman pulled him aside and started talking.
"Young man, do you know? He is my brother, my real brother. No matter which island we moved to, the three of us would communicate with each other using envelopes. Since the death ray came, my sister and I have never received his letters again. We thought he was killed by the death ray, but I didn't expect that he is still alive. That's great."
"Thank you, young man. This letter means a lot to me."
“Hmm…” Bandage stepped hard on the pedal and rode towards his home.
Along the way, he could hear the various discussions of the islanders on the roadside.
They were all discussing the information posted in the newspaper from the Governor's Office and expressing their own opinions.
Ten minutes later, he arrived at the door of his own basement.
Just as he was locking his bicycle, he paused when he saw fresh tire marks on the ground. A car had stopped in front of his house.
Bandage quickly locked his bike and headed for home.
As soon as I opened the door, the aroma of food hit me. My mother was cooking and my younger brothers and sisters were doing their homework.
"Are you back? Wash your hands, you'll be ready soon." Elena said without turning her head. She could still hear the footsteps of her eldest son.
After a while, the family of four sat at the table and began to enjoy dinner.
The food was simple, just what ordinary civilians would eat. After being carefully cooked by Elena, it tasted very good.
Looking at the three children swallowing the lobster meat porridge in big mouthfuls, Elena showed a relieved smile on her face. She liked this ordinary life and wanted to continue living it forever.
"West, eat slowly, there's more."
Bandage ended the dinner while listening to his younger brothers and sisters talking about interesting things at school.
He returned to his own room and stared blankly at a photo on the table, which showed all the members of the Narwhal.
In his mind, he recalled every detail of his time with them, as well as the tire mark just now.
"Knock, knock, knock." There was a knock on the door. Elena came in with a cup of hot drink and put it on the table. "Child, I want to tell you something."
"What... thing... Mother...?"
"I've made up my mind too. Let's move to the center of the island."
"Yeah, I used to think that as long as you stayed away from your crew members, you would be safe, but I found that this is not feasible, and I am too selfish."
"As a mother, sometimes you should let go and let your children choose their own path, even if... even if this path is dangerous..."
Elena said this and took out an exquisite invitation from her bosom. "The Governor is calling you back. He said you have to go save the whole world. I don't understand what he means. Sorry, forgive me for opening it first."
Bandage, with a complicated expression, ran his fingertips across the gold foil on the invitation. "Will you... let... me go?"
With tears in her eyes, Elena gently brushed the back of her bandaged head with her hand. "What difference does it make whether I agree or not? Just like when we were on Hefang Island, you will eventually go. You are such a child with such a temper, I can't stop you."
"I just want you to promise me one thing, and that is to come back alive." Elena's tears rolled down her face.
"I promise you... Mother."
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Three days later, in the Governor's Palace on Hope Island, "Where are you going?" Anna, with a hint of uneasiness on her face, stopped Charles.
"Go to the surface and bring back the darkness. Please help me keep an eye on Hope Island while I'm away."
Charles took off his pajamas, revealing his strong body covered with scars.
Putting on a dark blue long-sleeved shirt, he put the old captain's uniform on himself again.
He has been mending this piece of clothing for so many years, but he really can't change it anymore. He has become completely used to wearing it.
"Why are you asked to go? There are so many explorers, and you are the only one missing? Do you have any consciousness of a superior in your head?"
Charles turned his head and looked at her. "Anna, time is running out. You've read the navy's report. At the current rate, it will only take three years for the sea to completely submerge all the islands."
"Don't forget my identity. My identity can be very useful on the surface."
"What kind of shitty identity do you have? You're just a selfish scumbag!" Anna seemed to be getting more and more irritated, her skin cracking and healing from time to time, revealing the wriggling tentacles underneath.
Charles held Anna's head and kissed her forehead heavily. "The identity you mentioned is one, but the other one is that I am the chosen one of Idik. I don't know if this thing will bless me, but so far, I have not died."
"The God of Light is dead, what's the point of Idik's Chosen One?"
"Remember Pope Ledger? Why is he still alive when the God of Light is dead? This identity might come in handy on the surface."
"We only have three years. We can't afford to lose. Earthsea is our home now. For you, Winky and all the humans in Earthsea, I must go to the surface."
Without waiting for Anna to say anything, Charles jumped out of the balcony and ran quickly on the shed.
When he arrived at the dock, he saw the newly renovated Narwhal, with all the crew members standing in their own positions.
Charles looked slowly at their faces, the first mate Bandage, the sailor Norden, the second engineer Odrick, the boatswain Dipper, the cook Plank, the ship's doctor Linda, everyone came, even the second mate Krona.
Before, Charles did not forcefully order them to return, but only invited them. It was up to them to come or not, because exploring the surface was a very dangerous thing.
"Captain... you are late..." Bandage said to Charles.
Charles smiled, his smile was very bright, raised his right fist and hit his shoulder hard. "Narwhal... Set sail!!"
(End of this chapter)