Without hesitation, Ren pulled out a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes, tore it open, and clumsily placed one between his lips.
The silver lighter rested just beneath the cigarette.
There were still plenty of things scattered on the ground, but he had neither the time nor the space to sort them out. Leaving them for the Marines would do just fine.
Consider it hush money for Nezuro's life.
Click.
The flame touched the cigarette—and in that instant, the "Luck" stat on Ren's attribute panel began to shift rapidly.
I+ → H → H+
It wasn't over yet.
[Blessing of the Goddess of Fortune – Triggered!]
H+ → G
That was merely the luck of an ordinary man. Seeing the numbers change, Ren's breath caught; his heart pounded faster and faster.
It still wasn't enough to escape death.
Then—A new prompt suddenly flashed across the Dimensional Roulette's interface.
{Unknown effect triggered. Parsing… Garbled AI analysis complete.}
["Mother's" Final Blessing – Triggered!]
The mysterious "?+" beside the Luck attribute blurred, then vanished completely.
The new result appeared almost instantly:
[Luck: D+]
[Note: This is Her final blessing to Her wandering child—the 'turning point' born from your fate as a traverser.]
Today's Goddess of Fortune was a 36D+!
Ren froze as his Luck jumped from G to D+.
The "Mother" in that description instantly reminded him of the Blue Planet he had once lived on.
It confirmed his suspicions—the "turning point," the "traverser's factor," even the strange power that had restored his heart after being pierced—
All of it came from Mother's Blessing.
He must've awakened that force again, drawing out the god-tier Lucky Lighter despite miserable odds.
But now, that blessing's power was spent.
Only [Luck: D+] remained on his panel.
Ren was astonished, yet he didn't dare waste another second. Clamping the cigarette between his lips, he tore open the scroll.
A puff of white smoke erupted, forming a five-meter-long seal.
Blue-gray skin, a white belly, and a half-sticking pink tongue gave it an oddly endearing look.
Two glossy black eyes stared at Ren, wearing the human-like expression of someone thinking, "Ugh, back to work again?"
On its back sat a transparent dome, like a miniature cockpit.
"Here."
Ren handed over the barrel of rotten fish, then immediately began bargaining."Take me away from here—to my destination—and I'll give you a whole barrel of fresh fish!"
"Ooo! Ooo!"
Seal-007 slapped its belly excitedly and opened its mouth wide.
Apparently, it didn't mind rotten fish; as long as there was food, it was happy.
Ren quickly dumped the entire barrel into its mouth and, while the creature chewed, climbed into the transparent dome.
It sealed shut with a crisp click.
"Ooo!"
After finishing its meal, Seal-007 licked its lips, then dove into the sea.
Splash!
The creature glided through the waves with serene ease, while Ren sat quietly in the capsule, staring back at the harbor.
Sirens wailed; floodlights slashed through the island's darkness.
Hurried footsteps echoed from every direction, mixed with curses and shouting.
"Hurry! Search the area! You—check the fishing boats! The rest, sweep the warehouses along the docks!"
The Marines arrived, seething with anger.
Their high-powered spotlights swept across the port and the sea, tearing open the night—
—but it was already too late.
The beams illuminated barely fifty meters offshore, while the seal was already more than a hundred meters out and drifting farther.
"This grand farewell is only the beginning," Ren murmured coldly. "I'll come back for you, Captain Nezumi."
He flipped open the Desire Compass with a soft click.
Though he knew nothing of navigation, the compass could point toward a safe haven.
Usage for today: –1. The needle turned east.
"Let's go, 007."
By now, Ren and the seal seemed to share a mental link—his words alone made it dive.
It plunged beneath the waves, heading eastward.
The sea enveloped the transparent dome, yet not a drop leaked inside.
His breathing stayed normal, as if the capsule itself produced oxygen.
Ren instinctively glanced at the display showing Seal-007's stats.
[Touring Submarine – Seal-007]
Origin: SEALOOK ｜ Episodes Compilation – Modified Version
Type: Magical Creature
Effect: Passenger Submarine. Seal-007 can dive up to 100 meters, allowing for ultra-long-range deep-sea travel.
Consumption: Appears in biological form, consuming large amounts of energy but can recover by eating.
Traits: Gluttonous, Work-Averse
Ren focused on the listed traits.
[Gluttonous] – When well-fed, 007 becomes cheerful; its work efficiency and stamina increase significantly.
[Work-Averse] – After long hours, 007 develops job fatigue and may intentionally cause "minor accidents" to end its shift early.
"…So even animals can be corporate drones, huh?"
Ren sighed helplessly.
At that moment, Seal-007 fully submerged.
Bzzzz—
The world fell silent. The chaos of the port was swallowed by the sea.
Sunlight faded above, and everything sank into the endless dark below.
Ren clenched his fists, silently awaiting whatever lay ahead.
Meanwhile, back on the island—
The belated Marines found no trace of suspicious figures, nor had any fishing boats gone missing.
A warship that had just departed the base port turned back to circle the island.
Marines spread across every street, scouring each corner under Captain Nezumi's furious orders in search of Keya.
Disheveled townsfolk stumbled from their homes, bewildered to see the once-lazy 16th Branch Marines swarming like hornets from a smashed nest.
When word spread that the notorious Nezuro and his gang had died in Ren's general store, the townspeople outwardly feigned shock and pity—but privately, they could barely contain their joy.
Nezuro's cruelty had plagued them for years. Of course they were glad he was dead.
If not for their fear of Captain Nezumi, someone might've already lit fireworks outside Ren's shop—
—just like citizens celebrating the closure of a certain embassy.
But their smiles soon vanished when Marines began barging into homes, seizing valuables under the pretext of "inspection."
The reason was simple: higher-ups had ordered a purge to "restore discipline" on the island.
Captain Nezumi, furious over his nephew Nezuro's death, couldn't believe someone had dared defy him in his own stronghold.
This was a dangerous beginning—one that might inspire others to follow suit.
The ledger of Nezumi's crimes could fill volumes—enough to publish The Debauched Life of Captain Nezumi.
If anything went wrong now… that would spell real trouble.
(End of Chapter)