*****
Lev's Apartment,
Not long after, Lev found himself back inside his apartment on Earth. The moment he stepped inside, however, his eyes widened in surprise as he gazed out the window at the star-filled night sky.
'System, explain what is happening.' Lev immediately asked, his confusion evident. He was certain that he had left the world of Douluo Dalu in the morning, yet it was already nighttime on Earth. At first, he considered the possibility that there might be a difference in the flow of time between the two worlds, but judging by the sky outside, the difference seemed far greater than he had anticipated.
[Every time the host travels to conquer another world, time in the Main World, Earth, will freeze.]
'Hmm... So that's how it is.' Lev muttered in realization.
'Then, is time in the world of Douluo Dalu frozen right now as well?' Lev immediately asked, another thought occurring to him.
[No. The freezing of time only applies to the Main World. Every world the host visits will continue to experience the passage of time regardless of whether the host conquers it or not.]
Hearing this, Lev simply nodded. It would certainly have been convenient if time in those worlds froze as well, but he had no control over the matter, so there was little point in dwelling on it.
With his mind occupied by the System's explanation, Lev had momentarily forgotten one very important detail.
He was not alone.
It was only when he glanced around that he noticed Zhuqing and the others standing behind him. Since his apartment was far too small to accommodate so many people, they were practically crammed together inside the room. Surprisingly, none of them complained. They were just as bewildered as Lev was about their sudden surroundings, their eyes wandering around the unfamiliar room.
"Lev, where are we?" Bibi Dong finally asked, unable to contain her curiosity any longer.
"Pfft. Looks like it's time to find a new place." Lev said, struggling to hold back his laughter as he looked at the crowded room and the situation his lovers found themselves in.
"Anyways, this is my world—Earth." he continued.
With that, Lev immediately led everyone toward the living room, thinking that they would be far more comfortable there.
*****
Living Room,
Upon entering the living room, everyone immediately began looking around and examining their surroundings. They were incredibly curious, especially about the strange equipment and unfamiliar objects scattered throughout the apartment.
Bibi Dong, Gu Yuena, Sheng Ming, and Bo Saixi, on the other hand, sat together in a corner as they focused on gauging how much of their strength they could exert in this world. They had already learned that they could only unleash around ten percent of their full power on Earth. Even so, that amount was more than enough to satisfy them.
"I know none of you are sleepy, so how about we go out and explore the city?" Lev suddenly suggested as he looked at everyone.
"Right! Let's go!" Xiao Wu immediately replied.
She was clearly curious about what the city of this world looked like. Since they could no longer return to Douluo Dalu for the time being, she was eager to see what Earth had to offer.
"Okay, but before that..." Lev smiled. However, before they could leave, there was something he needed to take care of first.
A summoning circle suddenly appeared on the floor. A moment later, Nakime emerged from it.
She had been left inside the summoning space while Lev was in Douluo Dalu, and this was the first time she had been summoned since his departure.
"Master, are we in the new world now?" Nakime immediately asked.
"Hmm?"
Not long after, Nakime noticed the other people in the room. Her expression immediately became cautious as she raised her guard. Seeing so many unfamiliar individuals surrounding her master, she instinctively assumed that Lev might be in some kind of danger.
"There's no need to be on guard, Nakime. They're my wives," Lev quickly explained.
"In fact, I've already gone to another world and conquered it. I just never expected that I wouldn't be able to summon you while I was there. I'm really sorry for making you stay inside the summoning space for so many years."
"Master, there is no need to apologize."
Nakime shook her head before looking at Lev with a surprised expression.
"Actually, I'm more surprised by what you said. From my perspective, only a few seconds had passed before you summoned me again."
Although her single eye was partially hidden beneath her long bangs, the surprise in her expression was still noticeable.
"Ohh..."
Hearing this, Lev immediately understood what had happened. A smile appeared on his face as another piece of the System's mechanics became clear to him.
"Anyways, we'll be going out to explore the city. I'll ask you to look after the apartment for me."
Lev stood up as he spoke.
Truthfully, he wanted Nakime to come with them as well. However, unlike the others, whose appearances were indistinguishable from ordinary humans, Nakime's appearance was far too unusual. Bringing her outside could attract unnecessary attention, and Lev was not willing to take that risk.
"Leave it to me, Master." Nakime replied respectfully.
"Good."
Lev then turned toward the others.
"As for all of you, the clothes you're wearing look very attractive, you need to dress like Earthlings from now on."
As he spoke, Lev opened the System Store and began purchasing modern clothes for everyone.
It did not take long before they had changed into outfits that would allow them to blend in much more easily with the people of Earth.
Once everything was settled, Lev led everyone out of the apartment, carrying Sherry in his arms.
Meanwhile, the others could barely contain their excitement.
For most of them, this was their first time stepping into a completely unfamiliar world. And now, they were finally about to see what the cities of Earth looked like—and what this strange new world had to offer.
**********
—The next day—
Florida,
After spending the previous night exploring and enjoying themselves, Lev and Tsunade could now be found in Florida, while the others remained behind at the apartment to rest. They had only returned home around three in the morning, leaving everyone exhausted after their first experience exploring the modern world.
Although the others could have accompanied them, they had decided to stay behind for the time being. During their outing the previous night, they had encountered an unexpected problem: they needed to learn the language of this world and begin adapting to its modern way of life. Until then, it would be difficult for them to move around freely without attracting unnecessary attention.
As for why Lev and Tsunade were in Florida, their purpose was simple.
They were there to purchase a private island.
After realizing that they would soon need a larger and more suitable place to live, Lev initially considered simply purchasing a luxurious villa or mansion. However, he eventually decided that a private island would be far better.
That way, they could have complete privacy without having to worry about neighbors, curious onlookers, or anyone interfering with their lives.
At the moment, Lev and Tsunade were being guided around the island by a professional real estate agent. He enthusiastically introduced them to the property and its various facilities while they waited for the island's owner to arrive.
The island itself was incredibly expensive, with an asking price of roughly $75,000,000. However, the price was hardly a concern for Lev considering the immense wealth he currently possessed—especially after the pleasant discussion he had earlier that morning regarding his 25% stake in Walmart.
Not long after, the owner finally arrived by helicopter.
The moment he stepped onto the island, he immediately greeted Lev and Tsunade. The sale was clearly of great importance to him, and rather than leaving the negotiations entirely to his representatives, he personally took over and began enthusiastically discussing the property with them.
Lev and Tsunade listened patiently.
There was no harm in hearing what the island had to offer before making their final decision. After all, if they were going to make this place their new home, they wanted to be certain that it would satisfy their needs.
More than an hour passed as they toured the island and negotiated the terms of the sale.
In the end, Lev and Tsunade finally decided to purchase it.
The owner was visibly relieved and grateful upon hearing their decision.
With the agreement reached, Lev and the owner proceeded with the necessary paperwork. Several legal personnel were also present to witness the transaction and ensure that everything was properly documented.
Fortunately, the entire process went smoothly.
Once the deal had been finalized, the former owner invited Lev and Tsunade to share a simple meal with him. However, the two politely declined the offer, which he did not seem to mind.
Before leaving, the man took one final look around the island.
After spending so much time there, it was clear that leaving was not easy for him. Nevertheless, he eventually boarded the helicopter and departed, officially leaving the island behind.
Soon, only Lev, Tsunade, and the island's caretakers remained.
"There will be a lot of work to do on this island," Lev muttered as he looked across the quiet surroundings.
"But it will be worth it, Master." Tsunade replied with a smile. She was clearly satisfied with their new property.
"Before that, I think we need to take care of something first."
Lev turned his attention toward the island's caretakers.
Since this was now going to become their private territory, he would no longer have any need for the caretakers to remain on the island. However, Lev was not heartless enough to simply dismiss them and leave them without anything to fall back on.
With that in mind, Lev and Tsunade approached the caretakers and spoke with each of them.
The news was understandably difficult for them to hear. Lev explained that he would no longer require their services now that he intended to turn the island into his private residence. However, he also assured them that they would receive generous compensation for their years of work—enough to give them a fresh start and potentially change their lives for the better.
After everything had been discussed and settled, the caretakers eventually left the island aboard a boat.
And just like that, the island was finally empty.
Only Lev and Tsunade remained.
Standing together on their newly acquired private island, the two finally had the opportunity to explore the place without anyone watching over them. They began walking around the property, inspecting every corner while discussing the things they would need to build, purchase, and prepare.
This was no longer someone else's island.
It was theirs.
**********
—Night—
Hendrix Island,
Without wasting a single day, Lev and the others had already moved into the island. They could now be seen gathered together for dinner, enjoying a peaceful evening beneath the beautiful, star-filled sky.
It was not only Zhu Zhuqing and the others who had come to the island. All of Lev's summons were there as well, freely enjoying themselves and exploring their new surroundings.
"Lev, this place is really nice." Bibi Dong suddenly said as she looked around the island.
"Yeah. From now on, this will be where we live." Lev replied with a smile.
"It is also quite spacious. Building a palace on this island would be no problem at all." Bo Saixi commented, apparently convinced that a palace was the only residence befitting Lev.
"I'm also thinking about that." Gu Yuena immediately supported Bo Saixi's suggestion.
"Well, since we're on Earth now, I think a mansion should be enough." Lev said after thinking about it for a moment.
Of course, the mansion he had in mind would be anything but ordinary.
Lev intended to transform the entire island into a secret base where he could shape the future according to his plans. With the manpower and advanced technology he could obtain through the System, turning the island into a highly advanced, technology-centered territory would only be a matter of time.
Hearing this, everyone simply nodded.
They, too, understood that they needed to change their way of thinking now that they were living on Earth. Unlike Douluo Dalu, this world had its own customs, technology, laws, and countless other things they needed to learn.
"We'll need quite a number of things tomorrow, so I hope everyone will help." Lev said, already thinking about everything that needed to be done.
Aside from renovating and developing the island, everyone would also need their own belongings if they were going to start living like ordinary people on Earth.
After that, Lev and the others simply enjoyed their dinner together, talking about all sorts of things. Much of their conversation revolved around everything they had discovered and experienced during their first two days on Earth.
For them, it had been an entirely new experience.
Eventually, it was late into the night when everyone began choosing their own places to stay, finally ready to retire for the evening.
Back in Douluo Dalu, people at their level had long since reached a point where eating and sleeping were no longer necessities. However, upon arriving on Earth, things were different. Of course, Lev and his summons were an exceptions.
Their bodies no longer functioned in quite the same way, especially with their powers being heavily restricted.
For the first time in a long while, they once again had to eat, sleep, and adapt to the limitations of an ordinary world.
And so, beneath the unfamiliar stars of Earth, Lev and his companions finally settled into their new home.