Bear and Pal distributed the bread.
The pungent smell of the water beast oil lamp overwhelmed the fresh, sweet scent of the bread, making it unnoticeable.
"Goodness, it's really bread!" Cecil was surprised as she took a bite of the fluffy, sweet bread.
"How long has it been since I've seen and tasted this?" George said emotionally as he chewed the soft bread.
Uncle Grant also took a careful bite and nearly broke into tears. "It's more delicious than I remember."
This moment couldn't help but bring back their memories from before the Cataclysmic Flood.
"Wait, there's a filling inside, Brother! Mmh… what is this? It's delicious!" Steven's eyes lit up.
"It's meat floss, beef," Pal answered, wiping the crumbs from the corner of his little brother's mouth.
What? There's beef floss inside?!
At Pal's words, Cecil, George, and Grant were startled. They quickly tore the bread open, looked at the filling inside, and gulped. Then they took another bite. The soft, sweet bread paired with the savory, tender beef floss made them sigh in satisfaction.
There was no doubt.
It was really beef!
But where could one even get beef at this time?
Not to mention flour.
It was completely free of mold and tasted so fresh, as if it had just been baked today. The flavor and freshness made them crave more. In an instant, half the bread had already been devoured.
However, after the Cataclysmic Flood, the habit of saving food had been ingrained into their bones. Even though they wanted to finish it, the elders still divided the bread and handed the larger portions back to Bear and Pal.
"Grandson, come on, you should eat too."
"Yes, you boys must be starving. We old people need less food compared to you younger ones."
"I'm full after just a few bites. You two should eat the rest."
Even Steven was sensible. "Big Brother, the bread is too big for me to finish," he said.
Bear's and Pal's hearts tightened at the sight.
"Don't worry about me, buddy. Big Brother still has more bread," Pal said with a smile, ruffling Steven's hair.
"He's right. Eat more. There's still plenty in our bag," Bear added.
Cecil, George, Grant, and Steven were startled when Bear and Pal pulled out more bread from their bag.
"Uncle Grant, bring some to Stark and Lily too…" Bear said as he placed two compressed loaves of bread onto Grant's lap.
"This…" Uncle Grant hesitated and did not accept it. "These must have cost you a fortune."
Pal smiled. "We bought them from Miss Lane's place for only one F-class core each. So Uncle Grant, eat to your heart's content. If we run out, we can always buy more when we return."
Bear nodded in agreement.
"This big loaf is only one F-class core?!" Uncle Grant whispered in disbelief. If not for fear of attracting attention, he might have shouted it out loud.
Cecil and George were equally stunned.
"Grandson, don't lie to Grandpa. Tell us the truth!"
"Right! This bread can't possibly be worth just one F-class core. Are you saying that just to make us feel better?"
Uncle Grant shared the same thought as Cecil.
Bear sighed. "I'm not lying. It really is just one F-class core. Oh, right… I almost forgot."
Before they left, Miss Lane had privately spoken to him and sold him something else.
"I also got this for three F-class cores," Bear said as he opened the paper bag and handed it to his grandparents.
The scent of freshly milled flour drifted out instantly.
"Oh my! Is this what I think it is?!" Cecil quickly set aside her bread and scooped a small amount of flour into her palm.
"It really is…" George was stunned.
Uncle Grant's heart skipped a beat. They actually managed to buy this too—and only for three cores! He even pinched his arm to confirm he was not dreaming.
"What did Big Brother Bear bring?" Steven asked, tugging at Pal's sleeve.
Pal answered indulgently, "It's flour, buddy. It's what we use to make bread."
"Oh!" Steven broke into a bright smile. "Does that mean we can eat more bread in the future?"
Pal lifted him onto his lap. "Not only bread. Big Brother will show you many more delicious foods."
"Really?" Steven's eyes sparkled.
"Yes, it's a promise," Pal said with a warm smile.
Bear looked at his grandparents, who were deeply moved by just a bag of flour.
His expression softened. He knelt down and held both of their hands gently.
"From now on, we don't need to worry about food or water anymore. I'll make sure you all live more comfortably."
Cecil and George's eyes reddened at their grandson's words.
Bear and Pal then told them more about Isla's place.
As they listened, the elders and Steven slowly grew more hopeful about this so-called paradise. Even Grant was slightly moved. If such a place truly existed, then Lily and Stark's lives would improve.
Cecil, George, and Steven trusted Bear and Pal deeply, so they needed little persuasion.
On the other hand, Uncle Grant remained troubled.
What concerned him most was their safety during the journey, especially with the news of an evolving water beast Bear had brought back. If danger arose, Bear and Pal would prioritize their own families first.
He and his family had no powers to protect themselves.
Sensing his worry, Bear gently patted Uncle Grant's shoulder.
"Rest assured, Uncle Grant. We discovered a safe route this time. If we take that route, we'll be able to arrive safely. On the way, we'll take care of your and your family's safety."
If he explained about the boat, he was sure Uncle Grant wouldn't believe it. Better to come up with a convenient lie.
A safer route?!
The frown on Uncle Grant's face eased. If there was a safer route, then it was a different story.
"Uncle Grant, think about it. We're planning to leave tonight. If you're willing to come with us, we'll wait for you in this room until the second half of the night. Or better yet, we can bring Lily and Stark here. In the meantime, we can treat Lily's fever while we wait out the night together."
"Oh my, Lily is sick?" Cecil and George asked worriedly. "Why didn't you seek our help? We still have some supplies left to share, and there's space for you here. We could have helped you a little."
Bear and Pal had left them with a week's worth of supplies. Cecil and George were very frugal, so if Grant had come to them, they would not have hesitated to help.
"I've already troubled you countless times before. I didn't want to impose any more on you," Uncle Grant replied.
"What are you saying? You're talking as if we're strangers," George said with slight reproach.
"Yes, we don't want to hear those words again. You're always welcome here," Cecil sighed.
"Okay… I'll bring Lily and Stark here," Uncle Grant's voice trembled. He was glad that he still had friends like Cecil and George. Even in difficult times, someone was still looking out for him.
Bear and Pal wanted to tell them about the noodles too, but there was a sudden knock on the door, startling everyone.
The room instantly fell silent. Everyone stood up and quickly hid the food and water inside the cabinet.
Bear made sure they didn't leave any traces before opening the door.
To their surprise, Skull was standing outside. Behind him were five of Leo's men.
Bear's eyes turned sharp and cold.
Cecil, George, and Grant pressed their lips into thin lines. They immediately stood behind Bear, narrowing their eyes at the group of uninvited visitors.
Steven quickly grabbed Pal's hand and hid behind his brother.
"What are you doing here?" Pal asked, his tone filled with hostility. Dare to cause trouble again? It seems he would need to teach this guy another lesson.
Bear already had a faint guess of Skull's purpose. He didn't beat around the bush.
"What does Leo want?"
"Boss Leo wants to see you," Skull said through gritted teeth as he spoke to Bear. Although he put on a bold front, his body still trembled slightly under Bear and Pal's gazes.
Moments later, they arrived at the crew support cabin area.
Uncle Grant was very nervous. He kept looking around.
"Bear, that Skull has a penchant for making a mountain out of a molehill. I'm afraid he'll create trouble for us before we leave."
Bear had not gone with Skull and had only shared information about the D-class evolving beast. Although Skull did not dare to make a scene in front of Bear and Pal, Grant could tell just how furious he was.
Uncle Grant knew Skull's pettiness well, as he experienced it firsthand.
"Don't worry about it, Uncle Grant. Leo might be ambitious and greedy, but he isn't stupid. With the existing threat of the D-class evolving water beast, he won't touch us for now," Bear replied.
Even with Bear's words, Uncle Grant still felt nervous.
Let's hope Bear is right.
Uncle Grant knocked on a door.
"Stark, it's me. Can you open the door?"
The door opened to reveal a thin man—Stark.
Strands of his wavy, unkempt blond hair clung to his forehead. His once slender frame had become thinner, and his skin was deeply tanned with dark patches in several areas.
He limped forward with a cane and greeted them. "I didn't know we were expecting guests. Sorry for the mess."
Bear frowned as he noticed the cane.
"What happened to your knee?" he asked, concerned.
Stark had always left a good impression on Bear, so he paid close attention.
"It's just an old injury…" Stark replied, his eyes filled with helplessness as he pressed a hand to his knee.
It had started as a knee injury a month ago, causing occasional pain. At first, it was manageable, but in recent days, the joint pain had worsened, making even simple movement difficult. He had hidden this from everyone, including his wife.
Uncle Grant sighed but felt powerless.
Stark lowered his head and gave a faint, bitter smile before limping back to the chair beside the bed where Lily rested.
Bear fell silent.
Under the soft glow of the oil lamp, Lily lay quietly.
The small room felt cramped compared to Bear's cabin, and even from the doorway, Lily's condition was clear.
Her breathing was shallow and strained, as though even the smallest effort exhausted her. When she shifted slightly, her brows furrowed in discomfort.
Uncle Grant quickly checked her temperature. After a moment, he let out a relieved breath—it had gone down compared to earlier that morning.
Bear noticed his reaction. Lily's condition had slightly improved.
Uncle Grant glanced at Stark's cracked lips. All the water had been given to Lily; Stark had not had a single drop since the night before.
"Stark, you must be thirsty. Drink this," Uncle Grant said, handing him a canteen.
Stark truly was thirsty. He accepted it, intending only to take a small sip—but froze when he realized it was full.
"Father-in-law… where did you get so much water?" he asked in shock.
Bear quietly stepped outside, closing the door behind him.
He let Uncle Grant explain everything to Stark.
After half an hour, the door opened again.
Uncle Grant gestured for Bear to come in. His expression was complicated.
Bear stepped inside.
Stark was still seated on the stool, wearing the same conflicted expression as before.
After a long silence, Stark finally spoke.
"None of the three of us are awakeners… and one of us is nearly crippled. If we go, we'll only be a burden. Do you think… we're still welcome?"
Bear sighed.
So that was what troubled them.
"I thought the same at first," Bear said calmly. "But during the short time we were there, the owner never asked about our abilities. She didn't care about awakeners or ordinary people. Everyone was treated equally."
He paused slightly.
Bear continued, "In fact, when she heard we were going back to bring our families, she was happy—and even asked us to bring more survivors. I asked her the same question you just did. Do you know what she said?"
"…That's a silly question. I don't care whether they are awakeners or not. As long as they don't cause trouble, anyone looking for a home is welcome."
A faint smile appeared on Bear's face when he remembered it. "Besides, if we were to regret it in the future, we can always find another place. As long as you are with your family, isn't that enough?"
Only then did Stark slowly raise his head.
The helplessness in his eyes faded, replaced by a quiet determination.
"…Alright."
Uncle Grant finally smiled in relief.
Meanwhile, at the bridge…
"Boss, those bastards didn't even show respect! They refused to heed your orders. They clearly don't take you seriously at all!" Skull said angrily.
Bear and Pal had only mentioned the skills of the D-class evolving water beast and did not pay him any respect.
Leo frowned. A cold glint flashed in his eyes, but he said nothing.
Skull huffed, clearly dissatisfied with Leo's silence despite his attempts to stir trouble. "Boss, aren't you going to do something? If we let them continue like this, they'll eventually walk all over you!"
"I don't need to do anything," Leo finally said.
"But Boss—"
Before Skull could continue, Leo cut him off calmly. "We live on the uppermost deck. If that water beast really appears, the lower decks will take the impact first. When that happens, Bear will be forced to move."
Skull's expression changed, then he grinned. "I didn't think that far ahead. As expected, Boss is still the most insightful."
The corner of Leo's mouth lifted slightly. "We just need to watch them. If they really manage to kill that water beast…"
His eyes sharpened.
"…then we must make sure the core doesn't fall into their hands."
If he could obtain that core, he could finally advance.
"Understood, Boss," Skull replied, his eyes gleaming with calculation.
The two believed everything was already under control.
What they didn't know was that Bear had no intention of staying another day.
Night fell.
Darkness swallowed the cruise ship base, leaving it eerily quiet and barely visible against the sea.
Only faint lights remained on the upper deck and bridge, while the lower decks were submerged in darkness.
With Leo's men only patrolling the upper levels, the lower decks were left completely unguarded.
The survivors had already returned to their rooms.
Taking advantage of this, Bear and Pal quietly escorted their families and Uncle Grant's family out of the ship.
They moved carefully, avoiding any unnecessary noise.
At the stern, Bear secured Uncle Grant's improvised floating vessel and tied it firmly to the boat, ensuring extra space.
The night air was cold, far harsher than during the day. A strong wind howled across the sea.
Cecil, George, Steven, Uncle Grant, Stark, and Lily all wore extra layers of clothing.
Yet strangely, the boat's interior remained warm, causing quiet surprise among them.
Stark held Lily carefully in his arms.
Steven clung tightly to Pal's chest, burying his face in his shirt. His small body trembled slightly.
It was the first time in a month he had seen the sea at night again—and it was still as frightening as he remembered.
But even though he was scared, he did not want to trouble his big brother.
"There… there…" Pal stroked Steven's hair gently. "With Big Brother here, I won't let anything hurt you."
Only then did Steven slowly calm down, burying himself deeper into Pal's embrace.
Bear checked the surroundings one last time.
On the distant cruise ship, the upper deck lights flickered faintly.
Bear looked back at the towering cruise ship base one last time.
"Let's set off," he said quietly.
The boat moved.
Cutting through the black water, it slowly drifted away from the cruise ship with only the stars and renewed hope guiding their journey.