"Hey, stop staring. I’ve filled it out. Are we done here?" Charles patted the signed documents against the man with the monocle’s chest.

  The man seemed to snap out of a trance, quickly reaching out to take the papers. "Sorry, sorry. This island is so beautiful it’s hard to look away. By the way, Governor Charles, based on your agreement with our association, you’ll need to allocate a piece of land for us to build a new Explorers’ Association. Of course, we’ll still pay the required taxes."

  Charles brushed him off with a few words. These were minor matters. His main concern now was finding the person in charge of the Church of Light.

  But before he could take two steps, someone shouted, "The island governor is here!" and a crowd surged toward him.

  "Governor, do you need an accountant? I’ve been an accountant for many years, with extensive experience. I’m excellent at managing finances."

  "Governor, do you need island planning? I graduated from the Moth Design Institute on Yinglun Island."

  "Governor, I used to work in the Seventh Division of Hefang Island. I have extensive experience in solving mysterious cases. As soon as I heard you’d taken over a new island, I resigned to come assist you."

  They pushed forward, each face filled with the desire to be hired.

  Charles looked at them with growing impatience. The Explorers’ Association was one thing, but how had these people also gotten the news? Did the Church of Light have no sense of discretion?

  As the crowd grew larger, Charles quickly scanned the area and pointed to the silent figure of Bandages in the corner. "For all island matters, go to him. He’s in charge of personnel management."

  The crowd surged toward Bandages, quickly overwhelming him.

  Charles watched the sea of white triangular hats with a headache. These people still hadn’t calmed down, their faces either excited or tearful.

  "Bang! Bang! Bang!" Bullets pierced holes in the grass hut. Seeing everyone turn toward him, Charles spoke up. "I’m Charles, the governor of this island. Who’s your leader?"

  Soon, an elderly man in a golden robe with graying hair stepped forward. His face still bore an unnatural excitement. "Where’s Kod?"

  "He’s dead. He died under the divine light of your god."

  To Charles’ surprise, the old man didn’t show sadness but instead a look of relief. The old man and the surrounding Church of Light followers pressed their fingers to their triangular foreheads and began reciting prayers.

  After a few minutes, the old man lowered his hand and approached Charles. "I’m Cardinal Hoon of Yinglun Island. Are you the captain who found the Land of Light with Kod?"

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  Charles hadn’t called them here for this. He pointed to the grass hut above. "You’ve seen the photos, right? Have you figured out how to get up there?"

  Hoon nodded and spoke a few words to a servant behind him. Soon, a short old woman, only about four and a half feet tall, floated over.

  Charles shook his head. "People can’t go up. Even if she can fly, the sunlight will easily take her life."

  Hoon stroked his beard and smiled confidently. "Don’t worry, Governor Charles. To explore various islands, the Church of Light has all sorts of equipment. We’ve brought everything for the Land of Light."

  Soon, the old woman was dressed in a black, swimsuit-like rubber suit, with thick dark lenses covering her eyes.

  The woman, dressed in the strange outfit, walked around in the sunlight for a few minutes without any adverse effects. The suit worked.

  "Remember, when you reach the Land of Light, if you encounter the God of Light, pray to Him devoutly. Beg Him to have mercy on us, the lost sheep, and ask Him to remove the divine punishment from the light. We are sinners, and we are willing to be judged in His kingdom," Hoon solemnly instructed the old woman.

  Charles doubted the giant fireball would answer her. He stepped forward and spoke to the old woman. "Once you’re up there, observe the terrain carefully. See if there’s a vast layer of ice. If you see any other animals, remember them and tell me when you return."

  The old woman nodded and floated out of the grass hut. Under the watchful eyes of everyone, she flew toward the crack in the sky.

  Charles stood in the sunlight, watching her rise higher and higher until she was completely absorbed by the light.

  He couldn’t see the details clearly; it was too high and too bright.

  "Governor Charles, how can you stand in the divine light without being harmed? Do you have a special artifact?" Hoon asked with surprise.

  Charles didn’t answer. Covering his eyes, which were tearing up from the brightness, he walked back into the grass hut.

  He wasn’t in the mood to explain. The thought that everything about the surface was about to be revealed made his heart race.

  Whether the Earth had stopped rotating or some other disaster had occurred, the truth would soon be known.

  The news of the exploration of the Land of Light quickly spread across Hope Island. People discussed it excitedly, speculating about what the surface was like.

  "Tick, tock, tick, tock." As Charles’ pocket watch slowly ticked, the chatter grew quieter, and the air became tense.

  Several hours had passed, and the old woman seemed to have been absorbed by the sunlight, never returning.

  Hoon’s expression was grim. He stood with other high-ranking Church of Light followers, engaged in a heated discussion.

  When his crew brought him grilled fish and coconuts, Charles had no appetite. Frowning, he stepped out of the grass hut again, squinting at the crack in the sky. "What’s happening up there?"

  Three more hours passed. Seeing that the woman truly wasn’t coming back, Hoon and his group devised a new plan. This time, two people would go, each tied to a fishing line.

  "You two must watch each other. No matter how tempting it is up there, you must bring the message back! All our brethren in the Church are waiting for your news. Don’t just think of your own enjoyment," Hoon said sternly to the two young men.

  "Do you have any offensive artifacts? Let them take something. There might be danger up there," Charles suggested.

  "What danger could there be in the land of the gods?" Hoon said, though he handed over a bracelet and a brown, writhing mass of flesh.

  As the nearly transparent fishing line was slowly pulled up by the young men, everyone’s hearts were in their throats.

  Not long after the two young men disappeared into the sunlight, the fishing line suddenly jerked, then pulled taut. Everyone gasped.

  Charles rushed over, placing his hand on the line to feel the tension.

  The line was pulled tight, as if something on the other end was tugging it upward.

  This didn’t last long. Soon, the line slackened and fell back down.

  When the front end of the line came into view, it was completely stained red with blood.