Although Bill was never clumsy, now it seemed he couldn't possibly fall. He also noticed that he moved better. Now, when he swam, he didn't have to raise huge waves of water; it was as if he knew exactly where to move his arms and body to get the most powerful stroke.
As the hourglass started ringing, his ten minutes were up. Standing up, he rubbed his hands to chase away the fatigue.
After a few more minutes of preparation, Bill left the room, catching the smell of breakfast.
Over the years of renovations, the hospital quarters now looked like an ordinary house. They had three bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, a bathroom, and an office where the Communication Snail was located.
To Bill, the Communication Snails were something amazing. These "ordinary" snails in the wild transmitted their intentions through mental waves. These mental waves could be picked up with a transmitter, allowing the snails to mimic radio.
However, the snails were even more useful than radio, as they seemingly didn't need power amplification. As long as the correct code was known, one could talk to anyone in the world in real time without any communication infrastructure.
"Yes, whoever came up with this was a true genius," Bill thought, heading to the kitchen table.
Climbing onto his chair, Bill greeted his mom and nanny.
Bill: "Good morning, has Dad already gone to work?"
This was quite common since his father was responsible for a vast territory, and something was always happening somewhere.
While pouring food onto each plate, Miss Angie responded, "The Commodore had important matters to attend to, but he should be back for dinner.Bill: "Oh, does it have something to do with here?"
Shaking her head, this time his mother answered, "No one in their right mind would cause trouble on this base. There's a tournament taking place on Karate Island, and due to local incompetence, our task is to protect the tourists."
Nodding in agreement, Bill began to eat. By now, he was used to his mother's concise manner of speaking. Although she was still recovering and, according to his father, wouldn't be commanding ships again, her personality had undergone significant changes.
With a smile, Miss Angie added, "With Aramaki and Dina Ox here, few would dare to try anything."
Nodding again, Bill finished his plate and grabbed a second helping. Compared to how he used to eat on Earth, he now consumed an enormous amount of food.
And it wasn't just Bill; his father would eat as much as he weighed. When Bill asked how this was possible, he received only one answer: "When you're hungry—eat!"
After he finished his second plate, Bill picked a bit of his favorite dish. Satisfied, he stood up, took his plate, and headed for the exit.
Dina: "William."
Turning to her call, he replied, "Yes, Mom?"
Her smile widened as she spoke, "After much discussion, we've decided that you can now start going into town. The same curfew rules still apply."
Caught off guard, Bill showed his physical age, "Really?! That's awesome!"
After nearly three years, Bill knew the base like the back of his hand. Although he never particularly suffered from not being able to leave it, the chance to stroll around town would be a great change of pace.
Interrupting his thoughts, Miss Angie added, "When you want to go into town, use the officer's elevator. Remember how to get there?"
Nodding affirmatively, Bill asked, "Can I go now?"
With a nod, his mother replied, "Yes."
And with those words, Bill left the apartment.
The base was broad and open to the sea, with docks and shipyards occupying a massive area. However, from the land, there was only a relatively small entrance. This corridor was too narrow for giants to pass through or for transporting cargo, and it likely served only as a "back door" for the Marines.
Heading to the officer's elevator, Bill pressed the button for the first level and soon found himself in new territory.
The town was medium-sized, and Bill couldn't accurately estimate its population but guessed it didn't exceed ten thousand people. Almost all the residents made their living from logging and processing the Super Rainbow Eucalyptus, which was a local attraction on the islands of Vallipo.
The town thus appeared like an old wooden settlement, with sawmills, general goods stores, stalls, barbershops, and saloons at every turn.
Although he was interested in the Rainbow Trees, these sawmills were privately owned, so he didn't venture too deeply into them.
Instead, he spent about an hour wandering around town, looking at the shops and street vendors. If anyone noticed him, they didn't show it until...
"Stop!"
Turning around, Bill saw a freckled boy about ten years old in a white cowboy hat, chaps, and a vest with a large [Junior Deputy Sheriff] patch. With a smirk, Bill responded:
"Yes?"
"Where are you from? We have a suspect that matches your description!"
Looking at the boy, Bill couldn't help but feel nostalgic. After all, he grew up in 1950s America as a boy and was a big fan of the Wild West.