The boy was guided to a remote village by Luo Tian Hai.
What Lan Hao Tian saw overwhelmed him.
The locals lived in decent homes, were well-groomed, and displayed no symptoms of oppression or suffering.
Luo Tian Hai was aware of these things. Grinning, he inquired,
"Curious why a place this peaceful hasn't caught the empire's attention?"
Silently, Lan Hao Tian nodded.
He was deeply intrigued by the sudden sight of riches and tranquility after years of living in poverty and chaos.
But the answer only left him more surprised.
"It's quite simple," Luo Tian Hai said. "This place holds no valuable resources. Other than some trees and clean water, there's nothing here worth the empire's time. That's why they've been left alone to grow in peace. Besides, this island is far too small to be of interest."
He had said a lot, but the message was simple: this place had no value.
Although Lan Hao Tian understood, he was nevertheless perplexed by the idea.
"No resources... It should be beneficial, isn't it?
Seeing him lost in concentration, Luo Tian Hai laughed and inquired,
"All right? Do you too think that not having resources has advantages?"
Lan Hao Tian shook his head and replied:
"An advantage? Whoever came up with that must be a thief. Resources exist to serve the people. Having none is a serious disadvantage."
"You're not wrong, but that logic doesn't apply to the world we live in now," Luo Tian Hai said. "Hopefully, one day, you can build a world where your words become the truth."
...
Time passed. Lan Hao Tian had now lived on the island for fifteen years.
Although Luo Tian Hai was often away, he had taught Lan everything he needed to become strong.
Lan Hao Tian said to himself as he stood on a cliff and gazed out at the far ocean:
"I have to leave now. I've laid a strong foundation; all I need to do to make a real breakthrough is to confront life and death.
He hesitated, then gave a small smile.
It's not necessary to say farewell. Leaving quietly on my own—probably for the best.
He leapt from the cliff and landed on the shore.
It was a drop of several dozen meters, yet he touched down without the slightest injury.
He was no longer the frail boy of the past. After more than a decade of relentless training, he had become something else entirely.
What he brought for his journey was simple: a regional map, a compass, and a small boat.
Creak…
As he stepped onto the vessel, the wooden planks groaned beneath his feet.
Lan Hao Tian sighed.
"Looks like this boat won't last much longer. I'd better sail to the nearest island and find something sturdier. Even if the boat sinks midway, I could swim the rest — it's not that far anyway."
Just as he was about to push the boat into the sea, a shadow fell from the sky.
Thud!
Sand burst into the air, some flying right into Lan Hao Tian's nose.
He sneezed, then shouted:
"Uncle Luo Tian Hai! Why do you always have to drop in from the sky!?"
No reply — only booming laughter.
"Haha! I brought you a gift!"
Still annoyed, Lan Hao Tian's eyes lit up at the word gift.
"A gift? What is it?"
Luo Tian Hai pulled a small box from his robes.
Inside was a seven-colored crystal pendant, shaped like a teardrop.
He gently placed it around Lan Hao Tian's neck and said,
"This is from me. I hope it helps you on your path. Remember — become the greatest pirate of all time."
The color drained from Lan Hao Tian's face.
He immediately protested:
"I already told you — I don't want to be a pirate! I'm a good person!"
Luo Tian Hai laughed again.
"Haha! Anyone who opposes the empire is branded a pirate. If you don't claim the title yourself, they'll force it on you anyway. So why not just own it?"
Lan Hao Tian couldn't argue with that. He let out a reluctant sigh and nodded.
"A pirate it is, then. At least that title draws less attention than revolutionary. Until I'm strong enough... I'll wear the label."
"What's that supposed to mean?" Luo Tian Hai scowled. "You saying pirates are weak or something?"
Lan Hao Tian chuckled and teased,
"Haha, am I wrong? There are plenty of pirates, but I haven't seen any real revolutionaries around."
"Alright then, off you go! Make it big, you hear me? When you're standing at the top of the world, I'll come lend a hand."
"Goodbye, Uncle. Thanks for teaching me all this time — even though you were barely ever around."
With that, Lan Hao Tian stepped onto the boat and quickly set sail toward the next island.
Luo Tian Hai watched his silhouette shrink into the distance.
His mind wandered — back to a trembling child huddled in the middle of a blazing fire long ago.
The image of that boy merged with the youth before him now.
He couldn't help but smile with pride.
"You'll make it. I know you will."
…
It wasn't long before Lan Hao Tian approached the next island.
His speed, however, was far from normal.
By now, both his oars and the tiny boat were falling apart after being pushed to their limits.
He muttered to himself,
"Should be able to make it just in time..."
But just as he had that thought—
Crack!
The boat split clean in half.
He plunged into the sea.
"Damn it!"
He cursed, then immediately began swimming, guided by the needle of his compass.
...
Sometime later, on the shore of an unfamiliar island, a soaked young man dragged himself out of the ocean.
Though his features were strikingly handsome, his entire body was dripping wet.
On closer inspection, his clothes were also stained with blood — not his own, but from the aggressive sea creatures that had attacked him during the journey.
In this world, oceans covered over 80% of the surface, and they were far more dangerous than any land.
The creatures that ruled the waters were terrifying beyond compare.
He had deliberately chosen a secluded beach for his landing. After all, not many people could swim all the way from the open ocean, so his sudden arrival would easily raise suspicion.
"Whew... finally made it."
He spun around in place, trying to shake off the water from his clothes. Then he set off through the forest toward the nearest settlement.
After trekking through the dense woods, a large village came into view.
It wasn't an enormous island, but it was roughly the size of the place he had once called home.
From the looks of it, the population here easily surpassed five thousand.
"Nice. With this many people, I should be able to find a decent boat."
He reached into his shirt and pulled out a crumpled map, worn and smudged from his journey.
He sighed.
"Ugh, I'll need to borrow another map too... Being a pirate is kind of convenient. You can borrow whatever you want, whenever you want."
Then, as if realizing what he'd just said, he slapped himself across the face.
"No. I can't let that mindset become instinct. I'm a revolutionary leader in the making — not a pirate. This is just temporary."
His time living with Luo Tian Hai and the villagers had changed him more than he realized.