Charles' abnormality had already drawn the attention of others. A person leading a group of rats was quite eye-catching no matter where they were. The number of people pointing and whispering nearby was increasing.
"Don't be hasty," said Charles, his brow furrowed as he walked toward the adjacent street with Lily.
"Are you sure that's your home, that the little girl is the original you?"
"Of course I'm sure; that's how I look, and that's clearly my mother," Lily replied, her voice tinged with sadness.
"First get your friends to disperse; it's not good to act this way."
With two squeaks from Lily, the rats scattered quickly, stirring up screams from the women around.
After strolling around the street with Lily, Charles returned to the small villa.
By then, Lily's mother had left the courtyard, leaving only "Lily" sitting there, reading a book.
"Don't speak later. Let me do the probing."
After looking around and seeing nothing out of the ordinary, Charles pushed open the wooden gate and walked straight up to her. "Lily?"
The little girl looked up in confusion. When she saw Charles, her expression changed, and she put her book down, running frantically toward the house with a look of panic on her face.
"Hmm?" Charles lifted his left hand, and three invisible tendrils instantly entwined her.
Just when Charles thought the little girl in front of him would reveal her true form, this "Lily" simply struggled desperately, shouting loudly, "Mom! Mom!! Help!!"
Seeing this scene, a trace of doubt crossed Charles' face. He had encountered many shape-shifting monsters before, but this was the first time he had seen such a reaction.
He lifted "Lily" in front of him and drew the Black Blade across her arm, causing crimson blood to ooze out.
Charles tasted the blood on the blade and was surprised to find that it was indeed human blood.
Just then, the adjoining room's door opened, and Lily's mother emerged, her trembling hands holding a flintlock gun. "Let go of my daughter! I've already called the police!"
Ignoring the harmless weapon in the woman's hands, Charles calmly looked at the little girl and asked, "Why did you run when you saw me?"
The little girl appeared very frightened but quickly spoke up. "Because you smell like the sea, and Daddy said that people who smell like the sea are bad."
"Liar!! That's my father!" The white rat Lily attempted to pounce on the little girl.
Charles grabbed the rat and, releasing the girl, walked outside.
"Lily" acted so normally, not at all like someone in disguise, which planted a seed of doubt in Charles' mind.
"Don't worry; let's investigate thoroughly first," Charles said, holding down the anxious head of the white rat.
Charles took Lily back to the harbor area. After winding their way through the streets, they arrived at a secluded storefront.
After ensuring no one else was around, Charles knocked and whispered, "Looking for your boss, Big Ears."
The door silently opened, and Charles, with Lily in tow, walked straight in.
Inside was a disordered warehouse, where a group of men with various tattoos were playing cards.
When they saw Charles, accompanied by a group of rats, a skinny man with a scar on his face stood up.
"Captain Charles, long time no see. Want to move some goods again? I've heard you got your hands on a big ship, able to carry a lot of cargo."
Charles was too lazy to exchange pleasantries and pulled out a stack of Echo Coins to hand over. "I need some information about Doctor Oliver."
Since he couldn't figure out the situation from the front, he might as well ask some underworld figures, who might have other clues.
The man with the scarred face smiled, reaching out with his hand, missing two fingers, to accept them. "Sure thing, there's nothing on Coral Island that the Sea Snake Gang can't find out about."
Before long, a piece of paper full of writing was slipped through the gap under the door of Charles's lodging. He took it and read it in detail, then with a complex expression, he looked at the white rat on the floor.
"Lily, was it when you went to see your grandfather that you were caught in a whirlpool and then turned into a rat?"
"Yeah, that's right."
"But... according to the information I got from those guys, your parents have stayed on the island for the past few years and haven't gone to sea."
The room fell deathly silent instantaneously.
After a full three seconds, Lily, eyes filled with disbelief, spoke, "Then... that means..."
"That means the Lily is real; she is the true daughter of the Olivers and not someone else in disguise."
If Doctor Oliver had never been to sea, then he wouldn't have encountered a shipwreck, and their daughter certainly wouldn't have fallen into a whirlpool.
"She is real, so who am I?" Tears continuously fell from the white rat's eyes.
Charles chose his words carefully before speaking, "Lily, although it's hard to accept, memories aren't necessarily the truth."
"Impossible!! I am Lily!! I am not a rat!! I am the real Lily!!" The white rat screeched hysterically.
Hearing Lily's cries, the brown rats quickly gathered around, squeaking with concern.
"Get away from me! I'm not one of you! I am a human! I am a human!!" The brown rats scattered slightly but still surrounded the crying white rat.
Charles at this moment also did not know what to say; he had considered many outcomes but never imagined it would be like this.
But on reflection, it made sense in the despairing world of Earth Sea.
Half an hour later, Lily, surrounded by rats, lay motionless on the ground, as if she had lost her soul. "Mr. Charles, do you really think I am just a rat?"
Sitting on a stool, Charles remained silent, unsure of how to respond to the question.
Receiving no answer, the white rat slowly got up and walked forlornly toward the door, followed by the brown rats.
"Where are you going?"
With a tone of grievance and pity, Lily's voice carried through, "I don't know... but if I'm a rat, maybe I should live in the sewer. Mr. Charles, thank you for taking care of me these past days, you are a good person."
The rats quickly surged forward and easily opened the door handle, following the white rat out into the dimly lit corridor.
Watching the departing rats, Charles's face showed a trace of annoyance. "Are you planning to give up? Planning to live in the sewer eating trash for the rest of your life?"
The dejected Lily turned around and looked blankly at Charles.
"If you believe you're human, and it's Earth Sea that turned you into this, then you should go out to sea and claim back everything! Not run away!" His voice rose.
"Humans can't decide our fate, but we can choose how we face adversity. Come back! My ship needs a gunner,"
Lily's eyes filled with tears again, and the sobbing white rat nodded incessantly. "Mr. Charles, thank you, why are you helping me like this?"
Charles was not a warm-hearted person, but when he saw the despondent Lily walking away, he instinctively felt resistant, another poor soul unable to return home, afraid that it would be his own future.