Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Li Du looked away from the window when he heard someone thumping on the door.

Outside the room, the sky was blue, as was the sea beneath it. Glittering waves surged up against the island incessantly, ceaselessly leaving their marks on the fine sand.

The lush fields and green trees made for quite the sight. There was a large vineyard occupying the border of the island; many tourists shuttled about to pick the sweet and sour grapes.

Aside from tourists, the island was also home to all sorts of rare animals. Up in the sky flew hawks, falcons and other birds of prey. Down on the ground, wolves and tigers and lions alike roamed. There were many beasts crawling about, but they were tame and gentle. The tourists, on the other hand, were the unrestrained ones.

He took another quick glance at the corridors and pavilions outside the room, then stroked the beard he had been growing for a long time before speaking, “Come in.”

Sophie laughed gently. “You don’t have to lower your voice like it’s the only way to maintain your dignity as a father.”

Li Du coughed. “That’s how every father does it. Even my dad was like this when I was younger.”

He zoned out for a moment.

His father, the man who loved him so selflessly, had left this world a long time ago. Perhaps no one other than his family and other relatives remembered that such a person had ever walked this earth.

Li Du looked back on his father’s life and decided that the man’s greatest pride and legacy was, perhaps, himself. Perhaps the greatest impact he had made on the people around him was when he borrowed his son’s strength to help the neighbors protest the demolition in return for more favorable conditions.

The door opened at this moment. A tall, young man walked in, his back straight. As he walked in, he murmured under his breath, “Why’d you have a stone door installed in your study, pops? This thing’s too heavy, and it’s not like it’s powered by magnets or something. I’m the only one strong enough to move it. How can you or mom make this thing budge?”

Sophie said, “We don’t push it, but we don’t use magnets either. We use electricity.”

The young man balked. “What? You’re still using something so old-school? But why didn’t anyone tell me?”

“Because you haven’t been on Seagull Island too long,” Sophie said with a helpless chuckle. “You’re not anything like your father. You’re more like a really close friend of his — the both of you like going on adventures.”

Li Du tapped on the desk and said, “That’s enough. Son, what did you come to us for?”

The young man shrugged. “What else? It’s time for dinner— Oh, d*mn, you better back off, Eighteen Bai. You pull my hair again and I’m going to smack you, I tell you!”

A white monkey chattered and jumped off from the young man’s back. Just then, a strong, grey wolf lunged out from behind the sofa. The white monkey fell straight onto the wolf’s back.

Several little ocelots ran behind them, followed by two chubby honey badgers. The honey badgers stared straight at the ocelots and the grey wolf with their teeth bared.

The young man rubbed his head, baring his own teeth. “D*mn. Mom, Dad, why’d you raise so many animals for? They’re good for absolutely nothing, I’m going—”

An Andean condor spread its wings to reveal several eggs sitting in the nest, under its talons.

The condor eyed the young man, who held his hands out helplessly to placate the bird. “Alright, alright, you rookie, I won’t nag my parents anymore. Don’t get mad.”

The young man turned his gaze towards the window. Outside, there were several monkeys covered in golden hair. He met the animals’ gaze and the little monkeys started making faces at him.

He could not help but exclaim in shock, “Old man, were you a jewel magnate or a beast tamer? How are all the animals on the island so smart?”

Li Du was evasive. “You wouldn’t understand even if I told you. This is a technique exclusive to our family and I think it’ll die out in your generation. Alright, we’ll make our way down for dinner soon. Is your brother back yet?”

The young man said, “He won’t be back so soon. He brought your two precious grandkids out to see the dolphins. I think he mentioned something about Maui dolphins appearing somewhere near our island and many tourists are there to take a look too. My second and third older sisters are here, though, so let’s hurry down for dinner. Dad, mom, I have something to announce later.”

“What is it?” Sophie asked.

The young man giggled. “I could just tell you now, actually. I’m preparing to go on an expedition. One of my friends found a family diary and it tells about a dimension outside of the fourth dimension. The fifth dimension, basically—”

Li Du, who was making his way out, felt a shiver run down his spine at his son’s words. He asked in a hoarse voice, “What? The fifth dimension?”

His son looked at him strangely. “That’s right. You know about this dimension, Dad?”

Li Du countered with his own question, “Who’s this friend of yours?”

The young man responded, “His name is Steve—”

Li Du sucked in a cool breath and cut his son off, “Steve Tussenberg?”

“No, Steve Elson!”

Li Du clutched his head. A beam of sunlight shone on his hand and glimmered off the shine of his opal ring. The crimson beam danced about like a flame!

Sophie clutched onto his wrist. There was also a ring on her finger, studded with a large, pure diamond.