I need guns. Lots of guns

The Beluga Whale, the Ocean's Most Delicate Canary

This gentle giant usually lives in the seas off Europe, Alaska in the United States, and the coasts of Canada. Eddie didn't even know that Goodbye Island was home to them as well.

It's worth noting that areas where belugas gather are almost always whale-watching hotspots, such as the lower Saint Lawrence River in eastern Canada and the Churchill River estuary in the western Hudson Bay.

To fishermen, belugas are never prey or rivals. Similar to dolphins, they have gentle temperaments, high intelligence, strong communication skills, and a desire to live in groups. Ever since they were discovered in the late 18th century, stories about belugas befriending fishermen have continuously emerged.

Belugas are called "canaries" because they are the best "vocal artists" in the fish kingdom, able to produce hundreds of different sounds with a wide range of variations.

When this young beluga appeared, it opened its short mouth and made a sound like a steamboat whistle: "Woo woo." It was its first time seeing a motorboat, and out of curiosity, it surfaced happily and followed behind.

Eddie relaxed upon seeing it was just a young beluga. If a big predator like a tiger shark or a great white shark had shown up, he would have had to take serious action.

As the little beluga curiously followed, Eddie sped up and made circles to tease it.

The young beluga clumsily splashed water as it chased after him. After hearing the motorboat's engine sounds so often, it even tried to imitate, calling out: "Vroom vroom… vroom vroom…"

Eddie was captivated by the beluga's adorable innocence. But after a short while, the steamboat-like "woo woo" whistle sounded again from a distance.

Hearing the call, the little beluga raised its head sharply above the water, glanced around, then dived and swam away.

Eddie's marine intuition followed and soon realized there was an adult beluga not far off. This young one was likely out hunting with its mother.

Out of affection, Eddie infused some of his marine energy into the little beluga, then reluctantly left.

Eddie wanted to bring the young beluga back to the fishing grounds as a pet, but that would be cruel to its mother. He wouldn't do that. With the beluga population steadily declining, he felt the need to protect these lovely creatures.

Since the 17th century, due to the high profits of whaling, hunters have relentlessly slaughtered belugas, causing their numbers to plummet.

What's even more tragic is the devastating destruction of their ecological environment. They suffer from exposure to various toxic substances like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), DDT, and carcinogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons such as benzo[a]pyrene, severely damaging their immune systems and causing mass deaths.

After bidding farewell to the little beluga, Eddie lost the mood to play and sped back to the fishing dock.

A group of children was gathered by another motorboat at the dock, pointing and chatting excitedly. Eddie got off his motorboat and smiled at Shack, saying, "Take turns letting the kids have a ride."

The kids cheered. A few looked pitifully at Shack, who hesitated and said, "The splashing water is a bit cold and might make the kids sick."

Led by Xiao Sha, the kids shouted, "We're not afraid! We're not afraid!"

Eddie laughed, "Drive slowly, no problem. Besides, do you want your kids to be greenhouse flowers, or strong, towering pine trees?"

Shack had no response and started the motorboat, taking the kids for a ride one by one.

After all the goods were delivered, Eddie personally counted everything. Satisfied, he paid the bill, spending more than 800,000 Canadian dollars in one go.

With this, besides the fishing grounds and fish seedlings, the fishing operation was basically up and running.

He posted a few photos of himself riding the motorboat in a group chat, sparking a lively reaction.

Gao Xueqiang: "You beast, your life's getting better and better! When are you buying a yacht? Bro, I'm coming over to have some fun."

Chen Lei: "Damn, that motorboat looks badass. Beast, be honest—is it yours or photoshopped?"

Song Xuemei: "Please don't flaunt your wealth! What about us poor city white-collar workers? I'm still worrying about next month's rent and might end up homeless."

Zhong Dajun immediately responded: "Xuemei, don't pay rent. Come live with me! Bro's got four paws spread wide waiting for you."

Ma Jin sent a lewd emoji and replied, "Isn't it five limbs spread wide?"

"Go to hell!" The ladies all ganged up on Ma Jin, and Zhong Dajun got roasted even worse.

Eddie chuckled and joined in the banter. Then his QQ icon flashed in the bottom right corner. He clicked it to find a message from his hometown buddy CK: "Beast, my wedding is in half a month. Can you come back? Also, why can't I reach you by phone?"

CK is Eddie's childhood friend—they basically grew up wearing the same pants. From elementary to high school, same school, same class, similar temperaments, and they got along very well.

Actually, Eddie doesn't have many friends. To be frank, he's a bit self-centered and quick-tempered, while CK is naturally good-natured and always smiling. Although there are many peers in their village, CK is the one he's closest to.

CK wasn't a good student. He dropped out of high school and started working early. He loves machinery and vehicles, and now runs a small repair shop back home.

With Eddie away, only his elderly parents are at home. CK has been helping take care of them, helping out with farm work during busy seasons, and sending cakes on birthdays.

Seeing CK's message, Eddie immediately replied, "I'm definitely coming, and I'll be your best man. Save me a spot."

CK didn't reply again, so Eddie sent his phone number, feeling a bit guilty for not sharing his new Canadian number sooner.

Unknowingly, Eddie had been in Canada for nearly a month. He arrived in early April, and now it was almost the end of April. With CK's wedding just days away, Eddie hurriedly called Creeper to help book his plane ticket.

He hadn't bought a fishing boat yet and had little to do, so the next day he decided to take the driver's license test and apply for a gun permit at the same time.

Getting a driver's license was easy. He found a driving school, gave them his information and 600 Canadian dollars, and that was it.

Driving tests in Canada are stricter, but mostly during the exam. During practice, because almost every household owns a car and many people can already drive, only five lessons are required before you can take the test.

Getting a gun permit was more complicated.

First, Eddie submitted an application form and then went to a designated psychiatric hospital for a psychological evaluation.

But that wasn't all. He also had to pass a three-level background check by the St. John's Police, Newfoundland Police, and the National Investigation Bureau to ensure no criminal record. Furthermore, after applying for the permit, local police would randomly check on him for issues like alcohol abuse, neighbor disputes, or domestic violence.

This process took about two months. Only after clearing everything could he collect his firearm license and gun purchase permit from the police station.

After receiving these, Eddie had to buy a gun within 30 days and register the gun's serial number with the police within 72 hours.

Although it felt cumbersome, Eddie had no choice but to comply. After all, back in China, no matter how law-abiding you are, you can't get a gun. To him, a man isn't complete until he's handled a firearm.