Swimsuits, the Sea, and Reefs

Early the next morning, Starlight, still groggy with sleep, was shaken awake by Po Kong.

“Little Star, Little Star! Get up! There's something good to see!”

“Ugh... what are you doing... didn't you have enough fun last night?”

“Just get up! Hurry!”

Listening to Po Kong's constant urging, Starlight reluctantly opened his eyes inside the tent. The rare beauty of the previous night had made them lose track of time, and by the time he had come to his senses and prepared dinner, it was already well past midnight.

Although for people of their strength, losing a few hours of sleep was no big deal, Starlight still felt that Po Kong was being far too dramatic. However, when he pulled back the tent flap and stepped onto the beach, he immediately understood how Po Kong felt. Not far away, Xia Duo and Moen had already changed into their respective swimsuits, displaying a charm that was in no way inferior to the scenery from the night before.

Xia Duo, who was gazing out at the distant sea, had chosen a black bikini. The dark swimwear perfectly accentuated her slender figure, and her sharp gaze and capable aura lent her an indescribable beauty. Her long brown hair was meticulously tied into a high ponytail, and her snow-white skin shimmered faintly in the sunlight like a blooming lily.

Moen, who was packing up the tents, was dressed quite differently from her sister. Compared to Xia Duo's cool and icy style, she was like a summer breeze. Her swimsuit was a soft, light green, adorned with delicate lace trim, appearing sweet and full of youthful charm.

The straw hat on her head seemed to blend perfectly with her flaxen hair, looking very coordinated. The small ornaments on the brim and her smooth locks swayed gently with her movements, adding a touch of playfulness. This gave Moen a slightly different vibe from her usual fairy-like elegance, making her appear more gentle and approachable, drawing people in instinctively.

The two sisters' outfits were undoubtedly the most beautiful sight in view, leaving Starlight unable to look away for a moment.

“How was it? I was right to wake you up, wasn't I?” Po Kong said with a mischievous grin, nudging Starlight with his elbow and whispering in his ear.

Starlight finally snapped out of it and nodded in subconscious agreement.

Just then, Xia Duo finished her reconnaissance of the area and turned to look at the two men who had just stepped out of the tent, a faint, imperceptible blush on her face.

“I say, have you looked enough? We didn't put these on just for you two! Since we’re technically on vacation, we should at least look the part, shouldn't we?”

“That’s right. Sister, you were up early to change into your swimsuit, so it seems you’re eager to move on to the next part of the plan,” Moen said teasingly as she folded their tent, looking at her sister.

“Moen! ...Ahem! Of course I am. So, you two better hurry up and pack. We’re preparing to head out to sea! Go change your clothes!” Xia Duo gave her sister a reproachful look before clearing her throat and speaking to the two men standing there in a daze.

“You got it, Little Shadow!”

“Uh... right!”

Hearing this, Starlight quickly began packing their tent, while Po Kong hoisted the small boat—which weighed hundreds of pounds—onto his shoulder and ran toward the sea.

By the time they were ready and boarded the small boat, the number of elves relaxing by the shore had gradually increased. Many others had also managed to get boats, planning to head out onto the sea to enjoy their vacation.

It was said that after the light tide at Firefly Beach, marine life became particularly active. If one wanted to fish, now was the perfect time. A light tide of the scale seen last night was a rare event, which had undoubtedly attracted many people.

Following the trend of sea fishing, the small boat wove quickly through the various vessels. The four of them soon left the light blue shallows behind.

With both Starlight and Moen able to use wind magic, the small boat was pushed a great distance by their magic with almost no effort.

“Look over there. That guy kicking the water on the beach behind us, and the one on that reef! They’re all watching us!” Once the boat had cleared the rip current, Xia Duo looked back at the shore and pointed out the watchers she had discovered.

Those watchers seemed helpless against the group's actions. Regardless of whether they had been spotted, they couldn't make their surveillance too obvious. Knowing the targets only had a simple small boat, and given that Xia Duo and Po Kong hadn't purchased any supplies or provisions the previous night, they weren't particularly worried about where the four could go. In such a situation, they only needed to wait patiently on the nearby coast; the group would eventually return.

What those watchers hadn't anticipated was the anomaly that was Starlight. His storage space contained enough supplies to last the four of them for months, and that was even after he had lied about its actual size. If he had told Po Kong the truth, the man might have actually bought enough supplies for hundreds of people.

Once the boat had drifted further from the shore, Xia Duo gave her sister a look. Moen immediately pulled a slightly yellowed piece of paper from her storage space.

The paper appeared to be a page torn from a diary, containing an ancient map. After identifying their direction, Xia Duo immediately directed Starlight to change course and head toward where she pointed.

By now, they had traveled a considerable distance, and the scenery of Firefly Beach was no longer visible from the sea. Without any outside interference, they could finally cut loose and execute their plan.

Starlight and Moen worked together to create a small wind field at the rear of the boat. Even without the help of the sea breeze, the boat's speed increased instantly, and it shot forward like an arrow from a bowstring.

Po Kong and Starlight, who had never seen the ocean before, initially spent their time admiring the magnificent scenery of the blue sea and sky.

However, before long, the unchanging scenery began to tire them. In the middle of the vast ocean, with only the occasional white clouds and birds in the sky, it felt as if they hadn't moved at all.

Just as Po Kong was getting so bored he was about to fall asleep, the sharp-eyed Xia Duo finally spotted their first objective. A solitary patch of reefs suddenly appeared on the distant sea.

The area of those reefs was pitifully small, perhaps only the size of a single room, and they wouldn't be marked on any ordinary map. If the four of them hadn't been guided by that ancient map, they would hardly have noticed this place.

But on those unremarkable little reefs, Starlight saw several broken stone pillars standing tall. At first, he thought his eyes were playing tricks on him, but it was only when they got closer that he confirmed those stone pillars truly existed.