Maria's revenge left the ladies somewhat disheveled.
The three of them screamed, questioning how Maria would resolve the issue, but Zhao Lun, unwilling to cause discomfort, refrained from involving himself and pretended to be unaware of the situation.
Zhao Lun did not go; after getting up, he exercised for a while and then proceeded to have breakfast.
During breakfast, the atmosphere seemed quite cheerful.
Zhao Lun observed for a long time but couldn't find any unnatural tension between them.
After quickly finishing breakfast, Zhao Lun, with Ada in tow, made their way to SkyEye 1. He instructed the car, which had already arrived, to enter, and they began loading the assembled SkyEye 1 onto the vehicle, heading toward the seaside.
Before they had even arrived, they saw a large ship moored near the shore. The wind was strong, and the waves crashed wildly, but the ship appeared steady, undisturbed by the turmoil.
This made for a temporary port they had set up.
The large vessel was striking, and as they approached, they could clearly make out the English letters "Sea Horse" on the hull.
"Sea Horse?"
The people in the car looked through the windows at the massive ship.
This ship was 150 meters long and 16 meters wide, offering ample space inside, though its interior was quite basic, with cold steel everywhere.
As they arrived, the ship lowered its platform, and they drove the car onto the ship along the smooth surface.
After getting out of the vehicle, several workers opened the rear door and carefully unloaded the packaged boxes, placing them on the pre-set racks aboard the ship.
"Boss, aren't we waiting for them?" Ada asked, reaching for her communicator.
"Let's see when they arrive. If they haven't left yet, we won't wait," Zhao Lun responded, settling into the warm ship cabin and gazing out the window toward the direction they were coming from.
The cold at sea was intense, especially in this season, with gusts of icy winds blowing without hindrance, stinging like needles, penetrating through their clothes and chilling them to the bone.
The cabin was warm, particularly with a hot cup of coffee in hand, which warmed his stomach with each sip.
"They're on the way. They'll be here in five minutes."
Ada spoke into her communicator, updating the situation with Nicole's team.
"Then we'll wait," Zhao Lun said, sitting by the window, eagerly awaiting the latecomers. He simultaneously scanned and analyzed the ship, all the while experiencing its conditions firsthand.
The analysis results were quickly available—this ship was top-notch, remarkably sturdy and excellent.
His own observations were equally favorable; the ship was remarkably stable, devoid of any tumultuous rocking. Even in deep seas, it seemed unlikely to cause any disturbance.
This ship met all his safety requirements.
Before the five minutes had passed, Zhao Lun noticed the approaching vehicles from a distance.
"Wow, that's a massive ship."
"Are we going on a cruise?"
"Did we buy this ship, or are we renting it?"
"It's so cold. This isn't ideal for a cruise."
As the women arrived, the ship came alive with their voices.
Their voices were pleasant, never grating on the ears, and listening to them somehow made the cold weather feel less harsh and lifted everyone's spirits.
Except for Zhao Lun and his group, the rest were staff members who were not affected in the slightest.
"The wind is too strong. Let's head inside to talk," Zhao Lun suggested, holding Maria's hand and guiding the curious women back into the cabin.
It was their first time aboard such a large ship, and they couldn't help but explore. However, upon inspecting the vessel, they quickly realized it was far from a luxury cruise ship, which left them somewhat disappointed.
"Let's set sail," Zhao Lun instructed as the group assembled.
The ship shuddered, then slowly pulled away from the shore, making its way steadily out to sea.
As the ship gained speed, it quickly distanced itself from the shore, and soon the coastline was no more than a blurry line in the distance.
"The ship's already moving?" the women, having returned from their tour, exclaimed as they noticed the ship was already speeding along.
Zhao Lun waved his hand, signaling Maria to sit down and not wander around.
Once their curiosity about the ship had been satisfied, Maria settled down, and the staff served hot coffee to everyone, providing them each with a cup before leaving them in peace.
Maria sipped her sweetened coffee, comfortably reclining on the sofa beside Zhao Lun, gazing out the window.
"Wouldn't it be wonderful if this ship were ours? Then we could just sail away whenever we wanted."
"This ship? The Sea Horse? It's not exactly a standout cargo vessel. It's been in service for about seven or eight years now, and compared to other ships in the world, it's just average."
"If we were to buy a ship, we'd have to go for the best, the most advanced. For now, though, renting is sufficient," Zhao Lun explained his views on the ship, prompting Monica and the others to nod in agreement.
It wasn't necessary to buy such luxuries at this stage. If they had the funds, it would be better invested in the company's development.
When Zhao Lun had first seen the ship, he briefly considered purchasing one himself, but his rationality kept him from making a rash decision. He later took the time to research these "big toys" of the world. Though they were becoming popular, their outdated technology made them feel rudimentary, far from meeting his expectations. Thus, he abandoned the idea of buying a ship.
He had now firmly decided that, if given the opportunity, he would design his own ship.
"Oh, right," Maria agreed.
"However, boss, we don't have enough funds to buy a big ship at the moment," Monica warned, concerned that Zhao Lun might waste money on unnecessary purchases.
Their available funds were already tied up in investments, and the amount of liquid assets they had was limited. Purchasing an extravagant ship now would likely affect the company's operations.
Not to mention, maintaining such a ship would incur ongoing expenses, which would further strain their budget.
Their company's business was currently in a growth phase, and any setbacks would be unwise.
"Boss, I suggest we hold off on buying such luxuries for now."
"Don't worry, I won't buy anything unnecessary," Zhao Lun reassured her.
The plan was already set, and he wouldn't deviate from it. Buying a ship was outside the plan, and if it interfered with the company's development, it would be abandoned.
The ship continued its journey, further distancing itself from the land. By afternoon, it arrived at a small island and docked there.
The island was small, about the size of five football fields, and was quite barren, with only some weeds growing and no other vegetation in sight.
A structure had already been set up in the center of the island, surrounded by fabric drapes to shield it from view, while also blocking the harsh winds, allowing the workers to continue without interruption.
The vehicle that had been brought onto the ship was unloaded and driven toward the draped area.
Inside, a group of workers was already waiting. As the car arrived, they moved forward to open the crates, and a crane was brought in.
Amidst the hustle and bustle, night quickly fell.
"This is so boring. I should've stayed home," one of the workers muttered.
"Bored? How can you be bored when there's food?" another replied.
Outside, work continued as the final preparations were made. Inside, a charcoal grill was set up, and plates of skewered meat were brought out, with seasonings placed on the side, along with drinks and fruits.
Since the plants from the Divine Kingdom had started to bear fruit, a variety of fruits and beverages had been consistently available.
Before long, the smell of roasted meat wafted through the air as the group ate while waiting.
After a hearty meal, Maria, feeling bored, lay down and soon fell asleep.
By the time everything had been set up outside, the workers paused for a moment to rest and replenish their energy, before beginning to unload the parts.
The disassembled parts soon revealed a rocket behind the fabric drapes.
"How much longer?" Zhao Lun asked.
"Another round of checks. It should take a few hours, so we'll probably have to wait until the early hours," one of the workers replied.
"Then let's rest. We'll deal with it later."
Upon seeing the rocket, Zhao Lun felt a renewed sense of energy. He was about to yawn but stopped himself as he heard it would take a few more hours for the final checks.
Seeing Maria sleep soundly, he too began to feel tired.
"Boss, you should rest. I'll keep watch here," Ada, who had remained silent until now, spoke up.
"And you?" Zhao Lun asked.
"You know I can go without rest for days," Ada replied.
"Alright, wake me when the time comes," Zhao Lun agreed.
Ada, trained to endure long stretches without sleep, could manage it without issue.
Outside, the cold wind howled, and the waves crashed violently, yet the workers, armed with their tools, braved the cold and began the final inspections.
By the early morning, the checks were completed, and the rocket was in perfect condition.
The drapes were removed, and all the staff returned to the ship, leaving behind their completed work—the rocket launch pad and the rocket itself.
When Zhao Lun woke, the island was deserted. Everyone had already returned to the ship.
"Wow! Incredible! They managed to finish so quickly? I thought we'd have to wait until tomorrow."
"Our rocket! Our satellite is about to launch!"
"Well done! If there are no issues, everyone here gets a bonus!"
"YES!"
The mention of a bonus sent everyone into a frenzy. Their energy surged, eyes sparkling with excitement, fists clenched in readiness, filled with renewed determination.
"We're starting in half an hour."
"Maria, Nicole, and the others? Are they coming?"
"Yes, they haven't seen a rocket launch yet. I'm sure they'll be thrilled."
Ada, with her steadfast and meticulous nature, reassured Zhao Lun, who felt at ease.
A moment later...
"Wow! Is that the rocket? I can't believe they're actually launching it here!" Maria exclaimed, her excitement palpable.
"Can I get a closer look? It must look incredible up close, can I, big brother?"
This was the first time Maria had seen something like this, and she was more excited than even Zhao Lun.
"Heh, of course, you can!"
Zhao Lun led her to the dining table.
"Maria, Nicole, Angela, Monica, come have something to eat. It's a good idea to fill up before the launch."
"We won't be delayed, don't worry."
As the countdown clock ticked away, everything was ready.
"Prepare, launch!"
"...Five, four...launch!"
Boom!