At Kei's sincere request to join the journey, Charlie finally agreed to take her along. For him, leaving a 16-year-old girl alone in total silence in a world now empty of other humans was an unethical and cruel act.
Prolonged isolation and loneliness pose a serious threat to mental health, potentially dragging someone into severe depression.
Thus, a new, exhausting, and repetitive routine began.
After completing the cleanup of South Korea, Charlie's small group moved across the border to North Korea. However, their work pace slowed dramatically.
Unlike before, when Charlie could finish his tasks in just twelve efficient hours, his efficiency now dropped sharply. The main factor was his decision to seal the Megiddo Technique to avoid traumatic NTR nightmares.
Additionally, the enemy's tactics had changed. The monsters no longer gathered to attack him in massive sieges.
Perhaps the Abyssal Devourer had realized that the monsters had no significant effect on the Saviors, even if they surrounded them in large numbers. The enemy chose a guerrilla warfare strategy.
The monsters now attacked in small groups, scattered across the entire country. This fundamentally made it difficult for Charlie, Wang Jian, and Elena to eliminate them within the previously estimated time.
Due to the tactical changes and his personal power restrictions, Charlie needed a full week to clear all of North Korea.
Fortunately, he had Senrigan, which allowed him to accurately know all portal locations and monster presences, giving him a tremendous tactical advantage.
The situation on Wang Jian and Elena's side was far worse. Neither had Clairvoyance abilities like Senrigan. They had to rely on manual searches, making them much slower than Charlie.
When Charlie began moving to the third country, his two companions were still struggling to complete the cleanup in their respective regions.
The next destination for Charlie and his group was Asia's giant: China.
Just thinking about how much time he would have to spend on this Quest already made him dizzy.
Compared to Japan, North Korea, and South Korea, the combined area of those three countries was only about 6.24% of China's landmass—or in other words, China was approximately 16 times larger!
This data showed just how vast China's territory was, ranking third in the world's largest land areas.
Even with the help of the Divine Beast Spirits—Azure Dragon, Vermilion Bird, Black Turtle, and White Tiger, Qilin—clearing just one province took nearly a full month.
The prospect of cleaning all of China felt like an infinite burden, a task that would drain all his energy, patience, and remaining time in life.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Yalong Bay stretched out before Charlie, a stunning landscape worthy of its title as China's best beach destination.
Its seawater was incredibly clear, emitting an inviting blue-green hue. Its white sand was fine and soft, feeling like soothing powder between bare toes.
"Worth being called China's Hawaii. This beach is the best I've ever visited."
Wearing dark blue swim trunks, Charlie stood on the sandy beach. The cool sea breeze carried a fresh salty aroma, brushing against his face and hair.
For the first time in the past four months, the tension in his shoulders slowly eased. Four exhausting months traveling from province to province, facing endless monster hordes, were momentarily forgotten in this place.
"Huuu... I've been working worse than a horse. Even the most miserable corporate slave gets a vacation. A little relaxation now and then won't hurt."
Since arriving in China, Charlie quickly realized that clearing a country this large with the enemy's guerrilla tactics and without Megiddo would take at least another year. Considering that, he decided to take a brief break.
"After all, whether we clear this world of monsters quickly or slowly, it doesn't really affect the remaining humans. Those still alive are under our protection, and the Abyssal Devourer hasn't shown signs of a new large-scale attack."
Convincing himself that taking a short vacation was a strategic necessity, not a luxury, Charlie began preparing the needed equipment.
*BUZZ!*
With a wave of his hand, he opened the Space-Time Cache and pulled out beach vacation gear.
First, a comfortable folding chair appeared, followed by a large beach umbrella with a tropical pattern to create a shaded area. Charlie also brought out a thick beach towel, a bottle of high-protection sunscreen, stylish sunglasses, a bright beach volleyball, and a cooler box filled with fresh drinks and light snacks.
Moments later, the empty beach was transformed into a perfect vacation base camp.
After preparations were done, Charlie sat in his folding chair, enjoying the gentle sea breeze that now felt comfortable.
"Haaah... So relaxing~..."
*TAP-TAP-TAP!*
Not long after, he heard footsteps approaching on the fine sand. It was the girls, arriving after changing into their swimsuits.
Charlie turned, greeted by a refreshing sight: three beautiful girls in their respective swimsuits, walking gracefully toward him.
Because Est's petite and different figure stood out compared to the other two girls, Charlie's initial focus immediately went to her. Humans tend to focus on differences, and it didn't mean he was a pedophile—just that Est's build was truly striking compared to Aishia and Kei.
With long white hair as white as snow gently floating in the sea breeze, Est looked extraordinarily adorable. She wore a black mini swimsuit dress. It had a halter neck design with thin straps crossing at the back and tied into a small black-and-white ribbon at the chest.
The swimsuit itself had a fitted top that highlighted her flawless, pure white skin, contrasting with the black fabric. The skirt part was short and flared like a frilled skirt with white layers underneath, adding to her innocent and petite appearance.
Charlie blinked once, forcing himself to shift his focus from Est. He didn't want Kei to think he was a pedophile. His gaze quickly moved to Aishia, who was also a Spirit like Est but had a far more mature build.
Aishia looked enchanting, radiating exotic beauty with her long, flowing pink hair shimmering under the sunlight. She wore a light blue bikini that matched the color of a large ribbon tied at her hips. The bikini top had delicate fringes and thin straps, accentuating her voluptuous figure.
Her head was adorned with a trendy wide-brimmed straw hat, tucked with a bright pink hibiscus flower at the edge. As she walked, she held a light pink transparent sarong covering her lower body, adding an air of grace and mystery.
Finally, Charlie shifted his gaze to Shirogane Kei.
Kei exuded a cold yet captivating beauty. Her long silver hair flowed straight and shiny, adorned with a black lace headband tied to a long ribbon draping over her shoulder.
She wore a modern dark teal halter neck bikini; the top had a zipper detail at the neck, giving a sporty yet elegant vibe. The bottom was dark tied bikini shorts that framed her slim and proportional body.
Charlie smiled sincerely. The fatigue from four months of hard work seemed completely lifted.
"You three are truly a refreshing sight."
His tone was full of appreciation. He decided to compliment them one by one.
"Est, you look adorable. The contrast between your white skin and the black dress is perfect."
Est, with her calm personality, accepted the compliment without much reaction. "Thank you."
"Aishia, you really know how to enjoy a vacation." Charlie continued.
Aishia smiled faintly, letting the fabric flutter slightly. "A pleasant compliment, Charlie. Glad to see you finally relaxing."
Charlie then turned fully to Kei. "And Kei. Your fashion sense is great, the perfect sporty-elegant blend. Your beauty is truly natural, and your outfit makes it stand out even more."
His sincere compliment made Kei's cheeks flush immediately, the color contrasting with her white skin. She lowered her head slightly in embarrassment.
"Thank you. But, compared to the captivating Aishia-san and the so cute and unique Est-chan, I'm still far below. I'm just an ordinary girl."
Charlie grabbed another chair and flipped it around, sitting facing Kei. His smile faded, replaced by a serious yet gentle expression.
"Kei, listen to me carefully. Never belittle yourself like that again."
"Beauty is subjective, but your charm is real. Aishia and Est do have unique beauty because they're Spirits, but you're a survivor, a strong and smart girl with your own heart."
"You're an ordinary girl, but you're one of the remaining humans in this world. That makes you special. And you're not just physically beautiful, Kei. Your spirit, your kindness, even your amazing cooking—it's all part of a complete beauty."
"I don't want to hear you comparing yourself to others and putting yourself down again. Understood?"
Kei lifted her gaze, her large blue eyes slightly glistening from being touched by Charlie's sincerity.
"I... I understand, Charlie-san."
Charlie smiled and stood, gently patting her shoulder.
"Good. Now, forget all the work. We're in China's Hawaii! Let's play until we're satisfied!"