Chapter 62: Olga

Since being swallowed by the giant lantern fish, Renji had been in a state of unconsciousness, as if trapped in an endless abyss of darkness.

In this darkness, time seemed to blur and stretch endlessly.

"Wake up!"

Suddenly, a soft voice broke the silence of the darkness. Renji felt a warm energy ripple through the depths of his mind, and his consciousness gradually returned.

"Oh, you're really awake," said a girl as she circled around Renji. "What is your body made of? You've been in the lantern's stomach acid for so long, yet you haven't been digested..."

"Though you're completely naked. How shameless."

"You should really thank me. If I hadn't pulled you out of the water, you might have drowned," the golden-haired girl said proudly, hands on her hips.

Renji shook his head, still groggy from the unconsciousness, and used the leaves covering him to hide his private parts.

"Thank you..."

"Such a straightforward thanks..." The girl's expression turned slightly disappointed. "Makes me feel like I'm some kind of scheming woman who only helps for rewards..."

"Uh, what's your name?" Renji asked, looking at the golden-haired girl in front of him.

Although he already knew her identity the moment he saw her.

The girl put away her disappointed expression and extended her hand. "I'm Olga..."

"Nice to meet you."

Renji shook her hand and then began observing his surroundings. To his surprise, he found himself on a small tropical island.

Lush tropical vegetation surrounded him, with palm trees swaying gracefully. The only downside was the unpleasant smell lingering in the air.

"Olga, are we inside the stomach...?"

Olga nodded, confirming Renji's guess.

"Yep."

Renji stood up and walked to the edge of the island, looking into the distance.

Bones floated on the surface of the water, and not far away, he could see another island, completely different in environment from the one they were on.

"There's another island over there... This lantern fish really isn't picky..." Renji muttered.

He hadn't realized it before, but now that he was inside, he could see just how much this giant creature had eaten. It had swallowed so much, yet its stomach seemed to handle it all without issue...

"Those are all islands swallowed by the lantern."

"The lantern has three such giant stomachs."

Olga, seeing that Renji didn't seem too concerned, continued to explain:

"We're currently in the first stomach. The concentration of stomach acid here is the lowest. If you had drifted further, you might not even have bones left."

Renji nodded. He had some knowledge of this place, but not much. Having a guide who was familiar with it was convenient for him.

"Why were you swallowed by the lantern?" Olga asked curiously. "When I found you, there wasn't anything else around..."

Renji scratched his head awkwardly. "I fought it and lost..."

Olga's jaw nearly dropped. "Y-you... you're that strong?"

Then she looked at him with a sly smile:

"Though, encountering the lantern... I'm not sure if that's bad luck or good luck..."

"If I had to guess, you're probably just an old unlucky guy..."

Renji's face darkened. "I can hear you, you know. If you're going to talk about someone, at least do it when they're not around..."

"Huh?" Olga looked surprised. "Did I say that out loud? I thought I was just thinking it..."

Renji looked up at the light shining through the lantern fish's skin:

"Even though we're in its stomach, there's no shortage of light here..."

Having not spoken to anyone in a long time, Olga seemed eager to chat:

"It's all thanks to the lantern's light~"

"The lantern's light is very strong."

"It shines through its body and into the stomach, so it's always bright here."

Renji played along, praising her. "You really know a lot."

Olga puffed out her chest proudly but quickly deflated. "Well, I've lived here for 200 years... I'm familiar with everything here."

"200 years?" Renji pretended to be shocked.

Olga quickly covered her mouth. Age was her biggest secret, and revealing it could be dangerous.

Amused, Renji teased her:

"You've already said it. Covering your mouth now is useless. In my hometown, there's a saying called 'locking the stable door after the horse has bolted.' You've got the essence of that saying down."

Olga pouted. "I'm nothing like a horse! You're so rude, and after I saved you too."

Renji chuckled inwardly. The saying was about people, not horses...

"Alright, grandma. Got it, grandma."

Olga huffed. "Since you know I'm 200 years old, let me ask you this: do you know about Pure Gold?"

Renji nodded. "The Pure Gold that's said to be able to buy the entire world? Of course, I've heard of it."

Olga leaned closer to Renji and whispered, "I'll tell you a secret. The Pure Gold is in the lantern's third stomach."

She looked at him expectantly, waiting to see his reaction to such explosive news.

With just her and Elizabeth, even if they reached the third stomach, they wouldn't be able to do anything about the Pure Gold on the island.

So, she placed her hopes on the man in front of her.

Unfortunately, she was disappointed. Upon hearing the news, Renji simply replied with a flat:

"Oh..."

Olga couldn't understand this man's reaction. It was Pure Gold, something that could buy the entire world and even slow down aging. Surely no one in the world could remain indifferent to it...

"Don't you want this treasure?" Olga pressed, unwilling to give up.

Renji didn't deny his desire for Pure Gold:

"Of course, I want it."

"Then why don't you seem excited at all?" Olga asked.

"Because... something that can buy the world is too dangerous to keep," Renji said honestly. "The world is too chaotic. Keeping something like that would only bring trouble."

"I advise you not to talk about this with anyone after we get out. Human nature can't withstand such temptations."

"And..." Renji glanced at his clothes. "You should probably change your clothes too."

Olga stared at him in disbelief. "I've lived here for 200 years and haven't found a way out. And you're dreaming about getting out?"

Renji smiled confidently and countered, "How do you know I can't get out?"

"..."

As Renji and Olga were engrossed in their conversation, discussing various theories and imaginations about the lantern fish's stomach, a dinosaur lurked in the dense vegetation nearby.

Its massive body was almost completely hidden by the trees, as if waiting for the right moment to strike.

Suddenly, Olga's eyes caught a glimpse of movement. She stopped talking and turned her gaze toward the depths of the jungle.

Her heart began to race, and a sense of foreboding washed over her.

"Renji, watch out!" Olga whispered urgently, her voice filled with tension and fear.

And just as her words left her mouth, a massive dinosaur emerged from the jungle, charging toward them.

"Oh no! If this keeps up, we're going to be eaten!"

...

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