"Thanks to you for finding us in time. If it had been any later, I'm afraid Ashan wouldn't have made it." The four of them sat in the cramped cabin, taking the opportunity to chat during their brief rest.

"Did you encounter pirates or a storm?" Avril asked.

"Neither," the man shook his head. "This area is still under the navy's surveillance, so it's rare to see pirates. As for storms, I'm an experienced fisherman and can read the weather pretty well."

"Then what happened to you?"

"We encountered a mutant beast from the sea."

Li Yuan perked up his ears, even though he didn't have any.

"How could there be a mutant beast here?" Avril said in surprise.

"Exactly, that's why I came here to fish, because it's an uninhabited area. But as soon as we got here, we were attacked. Sigh, this boat was rented from the trade market, and now I don't know how much we'll have to pay for it."

To read the uncut version, go to [pawread.com].

"At least you're all safe. By the way, what level was the mutant beast you encountered?"

"We didn't see it clearly, but our boat was destroyed with just one hit, so I estimate it was at least F-level."

"F-level! Oh my god."

Li Yuan was itching with curiosity. What exactly is F-level? Why didn't they explain it clearly?

"By the way, if you report the F-level sea monster to the navy, you should be able to get some reward, which might reduce your losses."

"That's our only option."

Getting a reward for discovering a sea monster? Li Yuan was astonished. How many more ways are there to make money in this damned world that he doesn't know about?

But then again, the fishing boat this family used probably wasn't worse than his, and it was smashed to pieces by the sea monster. If he encountered one, he probably wouldn't fare any better.

This money might not be easy to earn. Better to play it safe and develop slowly, then come back and carry the whole scene!

"Madam, thank you for saving us. Amin, Ashan, quickly bow to our benefactor!" The man said, urging his two daughters to perform a grand gesture.

Avril quickly stopped them, "No, no, no, we were just here on a search and rescue mission."

"Even so, if it weren't for your efficiency, we wouldn't have lasted much longer. We've been drifting here for two days and nights. Even if we weren't eaten by fish, we would have frozen to death or collapsed from exhaustion... We still have to thank you."

Avril felt a bit embarrassed. She could only take a small part of the credit; the captain deserved the most praise. But in front of strangers, she decided not to mention the captain's merits.

After resting for about an hour, the man volunteered to steer the boat, allowing Avril to rest. It wasn't until the next day that they returned to the trade market.

"All three are alive?" Jin Wei looked at the four people on the boat in surprise. "Your little ramshackle boat is that efficient?"

Avril looked at Jin Wei defiantly, "You have eyes, don't you? Can't you see for yourself?"

Jin Wei indeed saw that the three people matched the portraits exactly. Previously, other vessels had gone searching but only found some wreckage, not a single person. Yet this little rescue boat managed to save everyone!

"How lucky can you get!" Jin Wei shook his head. "Come with me to collect your pearls! And you three, come with me too."

Before long, Avril returned, beaming, with a small cloth bag in hand. She jumped off the boat and whispered, "Boss, we got it! Three white pearls!"

"Ho ho ho ho!" As soon as Li Yuan made a sound, people around looked over in surprise. Avril had to mimic his laughter with a rough voice, "Ho ho ho ho, cough cough, ho ho ho..."

There were no suitable missions today, so Li Yuan docked in a corner of the market, waiting to see if there would be a suitable mission tomorrow. After all, earning three or four more pearls would allow him to upgrade, so he wasn't in a hurry at all.

At night, everyone in the market returned to their boats, and the lights on each vessel gradually went out, except for the navy's big ship in the distance, which was brightly lit, overseeing the market.

"Captain, no missions today."

"No worries, no rush."

After all, he's just a boat; no one's whipping him from behind, so why should he be in a hurry?

"If it doesn't work out, we can take on some simple transport missions," Li Yuan suggested.

"Yeah, as long as we can grab one, I'll go for it."

As they whispered, a group of people hurriedly approached.

"Shh! Captain, someone's coming!" Avril, ever alert, warned.

Among the four approaching, Li Yuan recognized three as the family they had rescued the day before.

"Madam, thank you for saving my husband and daughter. May we come aboard to talk?" A middle-aged woman looked at Avril, her eyes filled with emotion.

"Uh... well, come on up then."

Li Yuan inexplicably found himself with four more people on board.

"These are some seagull eggs. Please accept them," the woman said, opening the basket on her arm.

Rookie looked excitedly at the basket of eggs, practically drooling. It hadn't eaten anything other than fish before.

"There's no need to be so formal. We were just doing our job, and we've already received the pearls. There's no need to give us anything extra," Avril said.

After some polite exchanges, the woman placed the basket on the boat.

"Madam, please, take these eggs," the woman insisted, though she seemed to have more to say.

"What is it you really want to say?" Avril asked directly.

The woman bit her lip and said, "Madam, our savings, along with the reward for reporting the sea monster, have all been used to pay for damages and mission rewards. We have no savings left, not even enough for a deposit to rent a boat. I can do some handiwork in the market, but my husband and two kids can't go to sea, nor can they take on others' work. They'll soon be kicked out of the trade market."

Avril looked at the woman sympathetically, "What do you plan to do?"

"Madam, I... I want to ask if you could take them in," the woman said, her eyes red. "I hate to part with them, but I have no choice. Once I've earned enough, I'll come back for them. Would that be okay?"

Avril felt a bit troubled; this wasn't something she could decide.

"Madam, I know it's difficult for you too, but... if you could just provide them with food and water, they're very experienced at sea. If it weren't for the sea monster, they would never have capsized!"

"My husband can help you steer the boat. He's got the strength for the hand-crank propeller! And Amin and Ashan, they can fish, dive, and repair the vessel. They can do anything."

"Madam, I beg you, my daughters are still young, and I don't trust the men on other boats. My husband has a leg condition, and your side is the safest. I assure you, you can trust my husband's character completely."

The man finally spoke, "Madam, you are our family's savior. I swear by the Sea God that I will not harm a hair on your head. And if anyone tries to harm you, I will protect you with my life!"

"We just ask you to take us in. If we're kicked out, we have no boat, and it will be the end of us!"

Avril was quite sympathetic to them, but... she discreetly knocked on the side planks of the boat.

Li Yuan was still hesitating. Should he take in these three people?