Chapter 306 - 303: Stepping onto Paradise

Chapter 306: Chapter 303: Stepping onto Paradise

Li Luo declined Ji Pavilion’s offer to take her back, remaining on the deck alone.

She was still mulling over Ji Pavilion’s profound words.

"If you wish to continue seeking answers, please go to the island to find them..."

Li Luo looked at the Block and asked, puzzled, "Do you think he was lying to us?"

Mo Ling made the Block wobble.

"No."

He didn’t think Ji Pavilion was lying. Regarding the matter of identities, Mo Ling felt that what Ji Pavilion had said was very reasonable.

He just didn’t understand why Ji Pavilion had told Li Luo to search for answers on the island.

Li Luo sighed as well. She hadn’t expected that simply trying to guide the fitness coach away from his identity would provoke such a strong reaction from the robots on the *Paradise*. It seemed their identities were truly important to them.

Waves gently lapped against the ship’s white hull. A cool sea breeze tousled Li Luo’s hair. She leaned against the railing, thinking for a long time, but still couldn’t find the answer. In the end, she could only look over at the Block.

"Let’s go back."

...

Time seemed to slow to a crawl during the voyage. With nothing to do, Li Luo continued to wander around with Mo Ling.

However, after that incident, Li Luo made no further attempts to get the robots to act beyond their designated identities.

The robots, for their part, treated Li Luo with the same enthusiasm as before. Nothing had changed.

"Lady Li Luo, this is your final dinner aboard the *Paradise*. The restaurant has specially prepared the Stationary Roving Crabs from the Paradise Sea Region for you. You simply must try their flamboyant claws. Though they are slender, they are filled with rich juices and have a complex flavor. I’m certain you won’t be disappointed..."

"Oh, and I forgot to mention—the chef has already processed the thornfish you caught on the deck into dried jerky. He even added our special Seahorse Chili Kernels. It will all be packaged and delivered to your table shortly. You can take it with you when you disembark. And when you eat it, don’t forget to think of us on the *Paradise*..."

The doorman greeted Li Luo with his usual enthusiasm. For her final dinner on the *Paradise*, a chef Li Luo had never met prepared an exceptionally lavish feast.

There were many other robots on the *Paradise* whom Li Luo had never seen. They were hidden away in the ship’s restricted areas, needing neither activity nor rest, forever adhering to their identities.

After dinner, Li Luo returned to the gym with the Block in tow, only to find it empty save for the exercise equipment.

It was perfectly silent.

Before, whenever she came here, the coach’s enthusiastic voice would greet her. But now, the spot where the coach always stood was completely empty.

"Did I really do the right thing?"

Li Luo quietly asked the Block behind her.

A lost look crossed her face as she stared at the coach’s now-vacant spot.

Mo Ling said nothing, simply controlling the Block to fly forward and hover directly in front of Li Luo.

With a metal wall suddenly before her, Li Luo’s gaze instantly cleared.

She sighed. "Let’s go back and rest. We still need to find answers on the island."

With that, she turned and walked back to her room without a backward glance.

...

The next afternoon, the pure-white *Paradise* slowly pulled into port. Having packed her luggage long ago, Li Luo stood in the center of the ship’s cabin, backpack on and the Block floating behind her, waiting for the main doors to open.

Ji Pavilion stood nearby, asking if she had left anything behind.

He was just as gentle and calm as ever, as if the incident on the deck had never happened.

The cabin doors slid open slowly, letting in a blinding flash of light.

When the blinding glare subsided, Li Luo could see clearly. The port outside was also pure white; even the area that should have been a sandy beach was paved over with pristine white tiles.

"We’ve arrived. Allow me to accompany you. Welcome to Paradise Island."

Ji Pavilion led Li Luo onto the pure-white port.

Everything was stark white.

Not only were the port and tiles white, but the buildings were as well.

The architectural style was much like that of the *Paradise*—all curved structures without a single sharp angle, giving them a soft, elegant look. The material appeared to be some sort of lightweight, smooth-surfaced stone.

There wasn’t even a hint of a seam between these white surfaces, as if they were a single, natural formation. It seemed the builders of Paradise Island wanted to completely eliminate the black of any crevice, leaving only pure, unadulterated white.

The lack of sharp angles was also intended to prevent the black lines that edges would create.

And they had indeed succeeded. Aside from the unavoidable shadows, the entire field of vision was a vast expanse of white.

If not for the warm sunlight, one might have thought they were standing in a snow-covered village.

"It’s beautiful, isn’t it?" Ji Pavilion asked from beside her.

"It is beautiful, and very clean, but... why is it like this?" Li Luo found it hard to adjust to such absolute whiteness.

"Because this is Paradise Island," Ji Pavilion replied simply.

"I must return to the ship. Someone will be here to meet you shortly."

Ji Pavilion turned and walked slowly back toward the *Paradise*.

Just before leaving, he added in a low voice, "I hope you find the answers you’re looking for."

Li Luo started to turn her head to thank him but suddenly realized something. She stopped, remaining still and silent.

Once her eyes adjusted to the blinding white, Li Luo stood by the port, watching white robots unload cargo from Fishman Island.

The motley cargo from Fishman Island stood out starkly against the white port, like random scribbles on a blank canvas.

Fortunately, the robots stacked the goods with perfect neatness, which made the sight less jarring.

Just as Li Luo was watching the cargo, a timid voice spoke from behind her.

"Hello... excuse me, are you Li Luo?"

Li Luo quickly turned to see a short, plain-looking young lady standing behind her. She wore a simple white dress and a pair of thick glasses, her hair was in two braids, and she was clutching a data screen, looking at Li Luo shyly.

The young lady’s hands, clutching the data screen, were even trembling.

"Yes, I’m Li Luo. I just arrived from Fishman Island aboard the *Paradise*."

Li Luo extended her hand, offering to shake the bespectacled young lady’s hand.

Seeing this, the bespectacled young lady hastily pulled one hand free, nearly dropping the data screen she was clutching.

"My name is Qi Qi. I’m the receptionist for Paradise Island."

After shaking Li Luo’s hand, she quickly withdrew hers and hurriedly went back to looking at her data screen.

"Third-level Hunter, Fire Thief, Li Luo. Is that correct?"

"That’s correct."

"Okay. And what is your purpose for coming to Paradise Island?" Qi Qi asked cautiously. "I just need to make a note for the register. I don’t mean anything by it."

As if afraid Li Luo might misunderstand, Qi Qi even held the data screen up for her to see.

The form on it did indeed have a field for "Purpose of Visit."

"I’m passing through Paradise Island to reach the passage to the fourth level of the Abyss," Li Luo answered truthfully.

"Okay." Qi Qi noted it down with great concentration.

After she finished writing, she looked up at Li Luo and asked earnestly:

"Last question. What is your identity?"