American comics farmer: start by adopting the villain savior.

Chapter 230 Supreme Appraiser: Paradise Island Chapter - Water Fairy.

Driven by Ali's unstoppable 'Olympic' level rowing skills.

The small wooden boat, as if hurled by Poseidon himself, cleaved through the azure sea with an almost tyrannical force, leaving behind a trail of boiling white wake.

The sea breeze, carrying salty, damp air, rushed towards us, and the sunlight shattered into countless golden flakes on the crests of the waves.

The coastline had long since disappeared into the distance, leaving only the boundless expanse of blue water all around, where the water and sky seemed to merge into one line.

As they ventured deeper into the Aegean Sea, a strange and wondrous sight gradually came into view.
Like an ancient, ever-present milky-white mist, it swirled in a giant ring above the vast sea.
Within the clouds and mist, electric snakes could be faintly seen darting about, and the deep rumble of the storm could be faintly felt even from a great distance.

It is not like a naturally formed weather system, but more like an eternal storm constrained by an invisible force field.

"Look over there!"

Ali stopped propelling the boat with the oars, letting it glide along with its momentum. He pointed to the storm, his voice carrying a complex mix of awe and familiarity, "That's Paradise Island, a pristine land hidden away from the world."

He paused, then explained to Locke:
"The eye of the storm is the true entrance to the island."

"This is the first layer of magical barrier set up by the Amazon warriors. It is ancient and powerful, both to protect the island from being spied on by mortals and to... prevent those young warriors who are still weak and have unsettled minds from leaving without permission."

Locke gazed at the storm barrier, which contained immense energy, and nodded, indicating his understanding of the protective mechanism.

So, gazing at the rolling walls of clouds and flashing lightning, he pragmatically said, "It is indeed spectacular. So, how do we get in?"

"Are we supposed to wait here for the patrolling Amazon warriors to come out and then ask them to lead us..."

Before he finished speaking, Ali burst into a hearty laugh, the sound even drowning out the distant roar of the storm.

"Wait? Hahaha! My friend, waiting is not the style of a hero!"

Excitement gleamed in his eyes beneath his helmet, as if he were about to undertake a thrilling feat.

He gripped the battered wooden oars tightly once more, his muscles tensing, his voice booming across the sea:

"Of course—charge into the storm!"

Before he finished speaking, Ali took a deep breath and swung his arms around again, not using the oars to paddle, but slamming them against the sea on both sides of the stern with even more ferocity than before!
"boom!!!!"

With a tremendous roar, the small wooden boat seemed to be infused with mythical power, its bow rising high, almost lifting off the sea surface, transforming into an arrow shot from a bow, without the slightest hesitation or detour!

With a clear objective, they charged headlong into the massive storm circle, which seemed capable of swallowing everything, amidst the flashing lightning and thunder!
"oops!

It was not a gift from the gods of Mount Olympus.

It was not a gift from Hades in the underworld.

It's the salty wind from the Aegean Sea.

It's made our faces black!

Ali's singing and the strong wind carrying salty, humid air rushed towards us.

Locke steadied himself amidst the violent jolts, staring at the rapidly enlarging storm barrier before him. He glanced at Ali beside him, whose face was etched with fanaticism and excitement, like an ancient hero charging into battle. He could only take a deep, helpless breath.
His body was secretly circulating with lightning energy, preparing to meet the impact.

But to Locke's surprise...
The expected violent shockwave or the powerful barrier of magic did not materialize.

The small wooden boat seemed to have passed through only a layer of cool, damp mist.

The deafening roar of the storm and the blinding flashes of lightning around us vanished without a trace in an instant, as if wiped away by an invisible hand.

He blinked. All around was calm and still, with only the faint sound of a small boat breaking the surface of the water.

The devastating storm scene just now seemed like a vivid illusion.

"Could it be... that this barrier is just scary to look at, and its main purpose is to psychologically deter people?"

Locke couldn't help but guess that this was quite in line with the old tales of 'testing courage'.

He glanced instinctively at Ron beside him, wanting to see what the well-informed Martian philosopher would say.

However.
That glance almost made him burst out laughing.

Rong En's black suit was now covered with fine cracks from the storm's fury, and his carefully styled hair was completely disheveled, with a few strands sticking up unruly and even sticking with some seaweed.

Although his face still wore that unchanging calm expression, he looked more disheveled than ever before.
"puff……"

Locke finally couldn't help but chuckle, nudging Ron with his elbow mischievously, "Looks like our 'Minister of Defense' isn't exactly popular on Paradise Island, is it because of your outfit?"

"What hidden 'misandry' or 'anti-bureaucratic' mechanisms were triggered?"

Ron remained silent for a moment, ignoring Locke's teasing.

He looked down at his tattered clothes, and then a wave of illusion flowed across his body, and his disheveled suit vanished instantly, replaced by his original appearance.

Its skin was entirely green, its posture upright, and its cape, symbolizing Mars, fluttered behind it even without wind.

He cleared his throat and calmly stated, "An accident."

Just then, Ali, who had been at the helm, stopped his rousing song and began to speak loudly, his voice remarkably clear in the abrupt silence:

"Alright... gentlemen, we've arrived."

Turning their gaze away, Locke and Ron also followed his gaze and looked ahead.
I saw heaven.
What lay before me was no longer a vast ocean, but a breathtaking landscape beyond words.

Auspicious clouds floated in the azure sky, and soft golden light, like a veil, filtered through the gaps in the clouds, illuminating the islands in the sky.

It floated on the surface of the clear, mirror-like water.

Exotic flowers and rare herbs are visible to the naked eye, covering the mountains and emitting a refreshing fragrance that can be smelled from afar, while ethereal and melodious music can be faintly heard on the wind.

The magnificent and sacred building is nestled against the mountains and beside the water.
The white stone gleamed under the golden light.

This is neither a metaphor nor an illusion.

What was presented to them was exactly what it seemed on the surface.

--Heaven.

Gazing at the magnificent fairyland before me.
For a moment, all the three of them could hear was the faint sound of the breeze rustling across the sea and the ethereal music that seemed to come out of nowhere.

The overwhelming sight created an eerie silence.

Locke was the first to speak, breaking the silence. He looked at his two companions and asked, "Why aren't you saying anything? Are you too shocked to speak?"

Ali scratched the curved corner of his ram's horn helmet a little embarrassedly: "I saw you were all admiring it quietly, and I didn't want to disturb you..."

Rong En nodded, his eyes calmly scanning the island ahead: "I thought you would stay a little longer to appreciate it more deeply on an aesthetic level..."

Locke's lips twitched involuntarily.

Too lazy to argue, he took out his feature phone, skillfully opened the camera, and snapped a picture of the floating emerald island and the magnificent building.

I then planned to send the message to all the children in my family.
He would especially like Salafir.

But it's a pity
The phone screen displayed only a cold, unforgiving message—

No signal.

"All right."

Locke shrugged and casually put his phone back in his pocket. "Looks like the 'Paradise' service here doesn't include mobile data."

"So how do we get up there now?" He turned his gaze to Ali. "Do you have some kind of 'Olympic' level flying technology that can airdrop us directly to the entrances of those temples?"

He said it half-jokingly.
I'm actually quite curious whether Alibaba will pull off something amazing again.

Unexpectedly, upon hearing this, Ali burst into an even more hearty laugh:

"Hahaha! Friends, the road ahead is your adventure!"

Having said that, he didn't even give Locke and Ron any time to react or ask questions.
With a sudden turn, clad in his glittering gold attire, he plunged headfirst into the clear seawater. A few powerful strokes later, he swiftly swam towards the storm wall they had come from.
It seemed as if they intended to cross that terrifying storm barrier directly with their physical bodies!

All that remained was the pitiful little wooden boat beneath their feet, swaying slightly on the sea.

"?"

Locke stared at the golden figure that was faintly visible in the waves, and a real question mark seemed to pop into his head.

What kind of nonsense is this? They just drop you off at the door and run away?
"Locke, do you know the story of the Golden Fleece?"

Rong En spoke up at the opportune moment.

But before Locke could answer yes or no, he began to narrate:

"That's an important chapter in ancient Greek mythology. The hero Jason, in order to retrieve the Golden Fleece from Colchis, gathered many of his classmates from his time as a student of the centaur sage Chiron. They were all renowned figures, towering heroes..."

"To make a long story short, Rong En."

Locke interrupted him silently, his gaze following the golden dot in the sea that was getting farther and farther away.

Ron readily agreed and immediately simplified the content: "In short, Ali was a direct descendant of Jason. And Hercules and Jason were brothers in legend."

"Therefore, Ali's relationship with the Amazon tribes, who had a long-standing feud with Heracles and Theseus, was always very tense."

"According to incomplete statistics, his few previous attempts to land on the island were all ultimately... rejected without mercy."

Locke: “…”

So, their guide just dumped them at the gates of their 'enemy'!

As he watched Ali disappear into the sea, Locke looked back at that magnificent paradise that seemed so close yet so far away, trying to suppress the sense of absurdity in his heart.

He turned to his only remaining companion and, clinging to his last glimmer of hope, asked:
"Well, we can't count on this guide."

"Rong En, what about your side? Aren't you supposed to be in contact with them on behalf of DEO? Didn't you make arrangements beforehand and send someone to meet you?"

Rong En nodded seriously upon hearing this.

There was no trace of embarrassment in his eyes, only a pure statement of fact:

“I contacted them. I clearly informed the Paradise Island authorities that we were coming to help.”

Just as Kelock breathed a sigh of relief, Ron added, "However, based on your keen interest in the local culture you showed in Athens yesterday morning..."

"I think you might need to stay a few more days."

"So I specifically told them in the communication that we would arrive in a few days." "..."

Locke felt his temples throbbing. He looked at Ron's matter-of-fact face and practically spat out the words through gritted teeth: "...Then why didn't you say so earlier? We could have adjusted the plan!"

Ron seemed puzzled by Locke's reaction. He tilted his head slightly and explained, "I've only been to Paradise Island twice, so I'm not entirely familiar with the formal visit procedures here."

"This was my first time making a 'formal' visit to the island."

He paused, then explained further: "Last time, it was Dr. Nelson who directly opened the portal to the island; I did not go through the process of entering through the outer barrier."

"So it was precisely because of the lack of standard procedures to refer to, and in order to ensure a smooth visit, that I contacted Ali, who has extensive connections in the region and... unique access methods."

Locke was utterly speechless after hearing this long explanation, which was logically clear and causally distinct, but whose combination was incredibly suffocating.

So the current situation is...
The guide ran away because of a family feud, and the only official contact person postponed the reservation because he misunderstood his vacation mood. These two uninvited guests are now awkwardly stuck at the gates of paradise, unable to move forward or backward.

"All right…"

Locke shrugged, a helpless look on his face. "It seems we'll have to use the backup plan, Ron."

"?"

A hint of surprise flashed in Rong En's eyes. "A backup plan? Is that also part of your plan?"

He clearly hadn't expected that Locke would have a backup plan even in such a predicament.

Locke grinned, gave his interstellar partner a thumbs-up, and said with an air of magnanimity, "That's right! Don't underestimate a farmer like Ron."

"When faced with extreme weather, we usually prepare several backup plans to ensure our survival and get things done."

Upon hearing this, Rong En nodded thoughtfully, his tone filled with genuine admiration: "I see. As expected of you, Locke! So, our specific plan is..."

He didn't finish his words.

just listen
"boom--!!!"

A deep, thunderous roar, originating from the energy level, exploded!

Locke's body suddenly erupted with dazzling azure lightning, and his violent thunderous power was no longer restrained.

He steadily gave Rong En a thumbs-up with one hand, while his other hand shot out with lightning speed and firmly grabbed Rong En's arm.

The next moment, the small wooden boat they were on was instantly reduced to dust by the enormous reaction force!

Locke, dragging Ron along, transformed into a bolt of lightning tearing through the sky.
No more roundabout methods, no more probing, but the purest and most domineering power!
Brazenly towards that emerald paradise suspended in the air.
They launched the most direct attack!

If Ali were still alive, he would probably be shouting praises of Locke right now.
"Brother, you're actually Zeus?!"

"boom--!"

Thunder's speed is incredible!

Almost the instant Rong En reacted, the thunderbolt crashed into the invisible magical barrier surrounding Paradise Island!

"Om-!"

The barrier trembled violently, and the dazzling magical light seemed to be doing its utmost to stop this unreasonable intruder.

However.
The stalemate lasted only a moment.

"Crack!"

As if the faint sound of shattering glass echoed on the soul level, the barrier that had protected Paradise Island for countless years was forcibly torn open, creating a brief gap!

The lightning bolt pierced through, instantly bridging the final distance.

The light dissipated.

Locke and Ron were already standing firmly on the edge of Paradise Island.

Beneath my feet was a solid, warm ground, and all around me was an even richer, almost tangible, life force.

Locke released Ron's arm, dusted off non-existent dust from his body, as if he had just completed an ordinary jump.

He looked around at the scene, which resembled a myth come to life, and nodded in satisfaction.

"Look, the backup plan. It's a bit crude, but it's very efficient, isn't it? We've landed on the island."

Ron stood still, looking at Locke, then at the surrounding environment he was certain of.
“666!” he exclaimed.

"???"

Locke was dumbfounded. "Where did you learn that?"

"Don't you like it?" Rong En asked, puzzled. "This is a new word I learned on the Eastern internet. I've noticed you often use proverbs and idioms from the East. Is it called 'surfing the internet' there? I surfed for a while and learned quite a bit."

Locke Silence
at this point
Come here
So that's where you learned it all?
"Ugh……"

Locke sighed and decided to temporarily ignore Ron, who had already begun to try to integrate into Earth's network culture, and turn his attention to his surroundings.

He squatted down and began to observe with great interest the grass emitting a faint light at his feet and the strangely shaped trees in the distance.

He was assessing the situation, wondering if he could pluck some rare things from this 'paradise' to grow back home.

However, after taking a closer look, Locke's expectation gradually turned into disappointment.

Although these plants are immersed in a rich atmosphere of life and appear vibrant, in essence...

They seem no different from ordinary flowers, grasses, and trees on Earth, except that they are a bit more vibrant.

"All right…"

Locke straightened up, clapped his hands, and said with obvious regret, "I thought there would be some kind of magic rose with a self-glowing effect, or a cabbage that can run and jump..."

"Then you're mistaken, stranger."

A soft, ethereal female voice, with a hint of languid allure, drifted from behind them.

Locke and Ron turned their heads in surprise.
Then, on the calm, mirror-like surface of the lake not far away, ripples appeared, and a figure slowly rose from the water.

She was completely naked, her long black hair clung to her body like seaweed, and water droplets rolled down her smooth skin, reflecting a crystalline luster in the island's dim light.

Her long, slender legs were partially visible through the mist, her ankles delicate, and her toes lightly touched the water's surface, creating tiny ripples.

Her face was alluring, and her eyes held a mixture of curiosity and scrutiny.

"First time on the island, man?"

Her alluring voice had a watery quality, and her gaze shifted between Locke and Ron.

"."

But then the two strangers looked at each other and exchanged a glance.

He didn't show any of the surprise or panic he expected.

instead
"This must be a water fairy, right?"

Locke stroked his chin and said to Ron.

Rong En nodded, his eyes calmly sweeping over the water sprites: "Yes. The waters around Paradise Island are indeed inhabited by these water sprites that depend on water sources."

"I've learned something new. I take back what I said earlier. It truly lives up to its name, Paradise Island."

Locke's eyes lit up immediately, as if he had discovered a new continent.

He immediately pulled out his phone and snapped a picture of the fairy whose expression was gradually freezing. Then, he eagerly asked Rong En, "So... is it like in fairy tales, if I throw an axe into the lake, she can conjure up a golden axe or a silver axe for me? If that's really the case..."

Then perhaps I could consider trying to 'invite' one of these elves back to the farm.

This is practically a walking precious metal printing press!
However, Ron remained true to his pragmatic attitude, shattering Locke's illusions: "Locke, they are merely natural spirits of the water, not the wish-granting machine you described. She is just a..."

"In your words, it should be called an 'ordinary' daffodil."

Locke's excitement vanished, and he shook his head in disappointment.
"."

(_)?

(ω`)
(／‵Д′)／~╧╧！

Their conversation was completely oblivious to everyone else around them.
The water fairies in the lake have completely broken through her defenses.

The man outside.
Has it really become like this?!

This is even more infuriating than that big guy from Olympia who just barged in!

"you……!"

Her alluring expression twisted instantly, and a surge of anger at being slighted welled up inside her.

She let out an angry scream and swung her hands upwards sharply!
"boom--!"

It was as if a bomb had been dropped on the lake beneath her; a huge column of water, several meters in diameter, shot into the sky, carrying her anger and soaring straight into the clouds!
But it exploded in mid-air.
It turned into a torrential downpour, drenching Locke and Ron on the shore.

Locke wiped the water droplets from his face, looked at the water fairy in the center of the lake who was still angry, and raised an eyebrow in confusion: "What is this?"

"Impotent rage?" Ron was also puzzled.

However, before the two could finish speaking...
A very slight tremor came from the ground beneath their feet.

“Tick…tick…tick…”

With a synchronized leap, the strange grass not far away was suddenly parted, and several swift figures rushed out and came to a steady stop in front of them.

Leading the group was a lithe, blonde female warrior with a cold expression.

She wore a set of lightweight leather armor that outlined powerful lines.

But what's most eye-catching is the mount she's riding.
Those were not horses, but several unusually large, muscular kangaroos!

They stood quietly, their strong hind legs firmly planted on the ground, their eyes sharp, like warhorses that had undergone rigorous training.

The blonde warrior deftly drew her bow and nocked an arrow, the gleaming metal tip pointing mercilessly at Locke. She then glanced warily at Ron, the green-skinned man with his fluttering cloak beside him, and questioned him with undisguised hostility and suspicion:
"Men? And...frog monsters?! How did you manage to get into Paradise Island?!"

(End of this chapter)