Chapter 176: Chapter 176: Kyle Lewis’s Mother’s Invitation
She gave her brother and Zachary Pierce each a copy of the Hemostatic Pill Production Plan, the Adult Raincoat Making Plan, the island introduction brochure, and the Island Love Report.
She prepared a separate set just for her brother, which included: one Exorcism Wind Chime, one Sharp Knife, ten Anti-collision Foam Balls, and ten windproof ropes.
After sending everything out, Faye Yardley didn’t even wait for a response. She just climbed into bed and passed out.
Her biological clock was punctual as ever. Without needing an alarm, she woke up at precisely 4 a.m. Despite sleeping for less than four hours, Faye Yardley felt completely energized.
Because she had entered the training room late yesterday, it wasn’t yet time to go in again, even after getting some sleep.
After her practiced stretches, she sat cross-legged in the thatched hut, facing the rising sun, and began her Cultivation of the Health Care Scripture.
By the time she completed five Great Cycles, only an hour had passed.
"Sis, come have breakfast first."
"Alright. Wow, a seafood feast this early in the morning! Fill up a wooden bowl for me; I’ll share some with our brother."
"Okay."
Willow Yardley immediately ladled the congee, packed it with some shiitake and vegetable buns, and listed them on the designated trading platform. She then called Rainie Yardley, telling her to pick up the items and deliver them to their brother.
The routine was well-rehearsed.
Eating her bun and sipping her congee, Faye Yardley watched the sun slowly rise, a gentle morning breeze caressing her face. Suddenly, life felt wonderful.
"Willow, have Rainie prepare some simple, portable food for our brother and the others before they leave. Things like rice balls or buns."
"Okay, Sis. I’ll make some as well. It’ll be faster if we both work on it."
RING-RING-RING~
Faye Yardley glanced at the caller ID, blinking in confusion, but answered the call anyway.
"Mr. Langdon, good morning. Have you had breakfast?"
She angled the camera so he could only see the thatched hut and the ocean beyond—and, of course, the blooming roses on the fence.
"Good morning, Gorgeous Yardley! And congratulations! I see you’ve reached number one on the personal combat power rankings."
"Just a stroke of luck. You’re the one who’s truly impressive, Mr. Langdon, developing both your personal strength and your raft simultaneously. I’m no match for you." Faye Yardley delivered the lines with zero embarrassment—she was, after all, quite skilled at doling out casual praise.
Logan Langdon cut straight to the chase. "You’re so powerful, Gorgeous Yardley. Want to team up and take on a group Dungeon for fun?"
Faye Yardley immediately shook her head. "I’m actually a little afraid of Dungeons. Like I said, my rank was just a fluke. I don’t even know how the system calculates it. Still, thank you for the kind offer, Mr. Langdon. I wish you the best of luck in your Dungeon run—may you be victorious."
Logan Langdon had anticipated her refusal, so he wasn’t overly disappointed. ’Her agreement would have been ideal, of course, but what a shame.’
Faye Yardley found Logan Langdon’s invitation somewhat baffling.
[Ding-dong~ You’ve received two trade agreements from Zachary Pierce. Please review them soon!]
She opened them and found they were the profit-sharing agreements for the two production plans she’d sent just after midnight. Faye Yardley reviewed the specific terms. They were mostly the same as before, except her share for the Hemostatic Pills was two percentage points higher. Seeing no issues with the clauses, Faye Yardley signed them immediately.
’I have to admit, Zachary Pierce is an excellent business partner. He never lets his collaborators get the short end of the stick.’
After Faye Yardley signed, a message from Zachary Pierce came through. "These production plans are incredibly timely and useful. Would you consider planting the raw materials and selling the harvest to us?"
"I can’t. I barely have enough space to grow food and vegetables as it is."
Zachary Pierce couldn’t help but chuckle at her reply. ’She probably means she doesn’t have enough space for her flowers,’ he thought. Still, he replied, "Okay. Well, if you ever do grow the materials and have a surplus, please sell it to us."
Faye Yardley didn’t refuse the offer. ’It’s not like I’m planning to grow them anyway, but if I ever did and had a surplus, selling some wouldn’t be a problem.’
Bonnie Callahan’s call came in. "Hon, get on the group chat, quick! Kyle’s looking for you."
She pulled up the group chat window. Sure enough, she’d been tagged in a bunch of messages.
Faye Yardley typed directly into the chat: @Kyle Lewis, what’s up? You were looking for me?
Kyle Lewis: Miss Yardley! You’re finally here! I wanted to invite you over to my raft. My mom wants to talk to you about something.
Faye Yardley thought for a moment, then agreed. "Alright, send the invitation."
The world shifted around her, and her surroundings resolved into a new scene. She was on a raft—not a large one, but tidy and well-kept.
"Miss Yardley, you’re here! Please, come inside. My mom will be here soon." Kyle Lewis was thrilled to see Faye Yardley.
’To think a girl just one year older than me is number one on the combat rankings, pushing even Pierce down a spot.’
Faye Yardley waved him off. "Let’s just stay out here. The morning sun isn’t strong at all yet. Your raft is already Level 5? You’re making great progress."
"Heh, it’s nothing special. To be honest, since I know my mom is nearby, I’m not in a rush to upgrade the raft anymore."
"Mmm, that’s true. It’s better to use your resources to improve your own abilities. Besides, you should always keep a stockpile of wood. You never know when the raft might need repairs."
"Yeah, you’re right, Miss Yardley. My mom says the same thing—that we should always save some."
As they spoke, a ripple went through the air, and a mature, elegant woman appeared.
"Mom, you’re here! Miss Yardley has already arrived. Miss Yardley, this is my mom, Ms. Leah Chandler."
"It’s a pleasure to meet you, Ms. Chandler. I’m Faye Yardley."
Leah Chandler smiled, her expression full of sincerity. "I know who you are. I’m sorry to have troubled you by making you come all this way. I’ll get straight to the point."
"Mom, Miss Yardley, hold on. Let me get some chairs so we can all sit down and talk."
"There’s no need for all that trouble. Ms. Chandler, please, go ahead."
"I know you have impressive personal combat strength. I’d like to invite you to explore an island with me and Kyle."
Faye Yardley was genuinely surprised. She never imagined they would invite her to explore an island with them.
At the same time, she was confused. "If you just wanted to invite me to explore an island, isn’t using an Invitation Card for this a waste? Even a one-hour Invitation Card can be traded for a lot of supplies. Kyle could have just mentioned this to me in the group chat."
Kyle Lewis had already dashed into his cabin and now came running back out. From his backpack, he pulled out a small square table, three chairs, and even a teapot with cups. "Sit, let’s talk sitting down."
Leah Chandler gestured for her to sit, then took a seat herself. "I needed to explain this to you face-to-face. The Island Entry Order I obtained isn’t an ordinary one; it’s for a specific, designated island. It also came with some basic intel, which describes the place as extremely dangerous. I couldn’t just ask you to risk your life without making the situation clear. The better you understand what we’re facing, the better we can prepare. That benefits all of us, don’t you think?"
Faye Yardley found herself agreeing with her. "That makes sense. So, what’s the island’s number?"
"It’s an unnumbered island. The Island Entry Order had a special note in small print, describing it as a cursed island and warning whoever holds it to be extremely cautious about setting foot on it."
Faye Yardley let out a small gasp of surprise. "This sounds like a hidden map."
"Miss Yardley, great minds think alike! I told my mom the same thing."
