<h4>Chapter 159. The Streets</h4>


    "Tsk." Charles pressed his face closer to the mirror and scrutinized his reflection. He seldom checked his own appearance in the mirror, but he still felt as though a stranger was staring back at him.


    "Why is the change so drastic? I don''t remember looking like this..." Charles muttered to no one in particr.


    "Mr. Charles, what did you look like before?" Lily suddenly voiced out.


    "I don''t quite remember, but I believe I didn''t look so... fierce," Charles answered as he put on his clothes again.


    After what seemed like an eternity of observing himself in the mirror, Charles turned toward Lily, who was perched on the table, and said, "Come, Lily, let''s go for a walk on the streets."


    "Yay!" Lily chirped as she excitedly nodded her tiny head.


    The human and mouse duo emerged from the captain''s quarters and onto the deck of the Narwhale. Standing on the deck and peering at Hope Ind, Charles noticed that the previous simple shelters had been transformed and now had a higher ceiling while covering arger area.


    If the previous shelter structure resembled a writhing centipede, the current infrastructure was like a huge octopus sprawled across the ind. Its tentacles stretched out in every direction to cover the expanse of the ind in ordance with the inders'' needs.


    In the distance, individuals wore wide-brimmed hats and moved in and out of the <i>octopus</i> like diligent worker ants.


    As Charles and Lily got onto the sandy shore, they finally got a glimpse of the street hidden under the shade of a <i>tentacle.</i>


    Low houses lined both sides of the street. As Charles had passed a decree against felling trees, most of the homes were made from stones. Due to the structure''s instability, most of the housescked a roof to prevent any copsing incidents.


    However, even such simple and rudimentary infrastructure managed to amplify the bustling atmosphere on the street.


    Cradling Lily in one hand, Charles strolled leisurely on the street. He eyed the various goods disyed on the stone counters in the shop and noticed that the impressive variety of goods in the shops could easily rival those found on the Coral Archipgo.


    "Mr. Charles, I want to try that!" Lily squeaked excitedly as she leaped off Charles'' palm and dashed toward a drink stall.


    "Banana liquor? Is this brewed from bananas? Charles asked as he pointed at the light brown liquid in arge pot.


    "Yes, sir. It''s made of that very fruit that the governor had bestowed the name <i>banana.</i> It''s exclusive to our ind. Do you want to have a taste?" the vendor replied with visible enthusiasm.


    Perhaps due to the drastic difference in Charles'' appearance, the vendor failed to realize that the governor he spoke of was standing right before him.


    Charles nced at the price tag of the liquor and was taken aback to find that a single cup cost 300 Echo; it was a rather hefty price.


    "Sir, bananas can only be purchased from the Ministry of Agriculture at a fixed price, and the supply is very limited. I only managed to get these after much difficulty," the vendor exined.


    Charles didn''t utter another word and handed over the required money. After all, he had been the one who had passed the decree to implement price control.


    Among all fruits, bananas had the highest starch content, making them one of the most suitable crops to serve as a staple food.


    He had tasked Frey to assemble a team and till somends to test if a banana ntation could be sessfully established. Dependence on imported food would pose significant challenges to the ind''s sustainability.


    While it would take almost ten months for bananas to go from nting to harvest, the abundant yieldpensated for the long wait. A single tree could produce over a hundred bananas. The output couldn''tpare with that of rice fields, they could surely rival corn crops.


    As for storage, bananas could be dried under sunlight to be banana chips, especially since theycked significant sugar content.


    Lily''s eyes glimmered with anticipation as she clutched the drink. She dipped her head into the cup and took a sip before she turned to Charles and nodded with palpable excitement. "Mr. Charles, bananas taste bad, but the liquor brewed from it is really delicious! Do you want to have a sip?"


    An amused but unreadable expression surfaced on the vendor''s visage. Charles couldn''t figure out if it were disdain at the thought that a mouse was drinking from his shop''s cups or shock that the same mouse could speak.


    "If it''s tasty, then drink more," Charles said as he patted Lily on the head before turning to the portly man next to him, who was buying alcohol.


    "Friend, is this street safe?" Charles asked.


    "<i>Erm...</i>" the man hesitated to answer as a hint of difort crossed his face.


    "What''s the matter? Are there any issues?" Charles was taken aback. Had someone really disrupted the ind''s newly establishedw and order so soon?


    "To be fair, it''s safe. But I feel that the young police chief with the mask is excessively harsh. Anyone who dares to steal will have their hand severed, and being caught for daylight robbery meant an immediate execution on the streets. People are on eggshells because of him," the man answered.


    "I see..."


    "Yeah... to be frank. The governor clearly has little regard for human lives for him to hand over such immense authority to a greenhorn who hasn''t seen much of the world."


    Hearing the man''s words, Lily stuck her head out of her cup. nting her tiny paws on her hips, she shot an angry re at the vendor. Charles promptly finished his drink and returned the empty cup to the vendor.


    "Perhaps... but at least it eliminates the kinds of problems that gue other inds," Charles said before he picked Lily up and ventured deeper into the crowd.


    In his perspective, Dipp was impulsive and hasty. However, if he were allowed time in a position of responsibility, he would soon find a way to most effectively carry out his duties.


    As he continued his way forward, Charles encountered sights that he knew he would never find elsewhere. Whether they were disciples of the Divine Light Order, crew members of exploration ships, or early settlers, each person radiated an unmistakable energy and zeal.


    Hope Ind was in its initial development stage with boundless opportunities. Supporting oneself wouldn''t be a challenge; as long as one was quick-witted, money could be made in no time.


    As Charles progressed further, a vast square soon appeared before him. Staring at the expansive shelter overhead, he discerned that this was the heart of the <i>octopus.</i>


    A massive bulletin board was hung up in the center of the square, and it was surrounded by arge group of people.


    Charles went closer and could hear a voice from the crowd. Someone was offering exnations for the new decree that had just been passed to those who couldn''t read.


    "The gist of this mess of a message is that Hope Ind is now sellingnd. As long as you have money, you can buy a plot ofnd and be a permanent residence. <i>Oh,</i> there''s also an additional use that your descendants would have to pay an inheritance tax for thend," a man said.


    "Does the notice mention the price?" asked someone in the crowd.


    "The price differs based on the proximity of thend to the ind''s center. The cheapest plots are priced at two million Echo."


    "Oh my Sun God! Think about the amount ofnd on this ind and how many Echo it could be worth! No wonder they say that once you be a governor, you''ll never have to worry about money again," a Divine Light Order disciple in the crowd gasped in disbelief.


    "I don''t care what you guys think, but I''m definitely buying a plot. Living on this ind is surely way better than any other ce."


    Lily tilted her head upward and stared at Charles. "Mr. Charles, you are so rich now."


    Patting Lily on her head, Charles quickly scanned the faces in the crowd. People were engaged in fervent discussions and debate if they should purchase a plot ofnd, and if they were to do so, they were calcting which district would offer the best value for their money.


    However, Charles realized that no one mentioned the Land of Light that would offer them virtually unlimitednd.


    "Hey." Charles tapped a man on his shoulder and asked, "Didn''t the governor mention that the Land of Light is just right above us? He said that there''s unlimitednd there, so why is everyone creating a fuss over thend on Hope Ind?"


    The man eyed Charles with apparent disdain in his gaze. "Are you a child? Why do you naively believe everything you hear? Even if the Land of Light truly exists, the governor will surely guard the entrance and collect tax frommon people like us."