As soon as Bear and Pal entered the hallway of the deck, they were hit by an acrid stench.
The Vessel of the Stars was a smaller-type cruise ship with only seven decks.
Decks one and two—the lowermost levels—were divided into engine rooms, water treatment systems, storage areas, and crew support cabins.
Deck three had once been dedicated to the main crew. It consisted of cabins and small facilities like a laundromat, small stores, and a crew galley. Now, all of it had been converted into living space for survivors.
Meanwhile, decks four, five, and six were filled with main passenger cabins and passenger facilities.
Unlike decks one to three, where rent was free, survivors on decks four to six had to pay exorbitant monthly fees for each cabin under the guise of "protection fees." However, awakened survivors stayed there for free. This was one of the main reasons why the majority of awakeners had sided with Leo.
Deck seven was where Leo resided. He and his closest subordinates occupied it like a king.
Bear and Pal's families were staying in one of the cabins on deck three, near the stairwell landing.
At the end of the hallway where they stood was an open space that used to be a crew lounge and dining hall, but it had now been converted into a small trading market.
The hallway was packed with people from decks one to three, selling goods and trading—mostly sea salt and items scavenged from floating debris fields, such as cooking utensils, water containers, and second-hand clothes.
The hallway wasn't wide, only about 2.2 meters. So the three had to squeeze through the crowd.
The promenades used to be open, but after several incidents where water beasts being lured to the ship—they had been sealed off.
Because of the news Bear and Pal had brought back, it was unusually noisy today. They were stopped multiple times by survivors asking questions.
By the time they reached their cabin, Pal looked mentally exhausted. At that moment, he just wanted to see his little brother.
At the far end of the corridor on deck three, a staircase led up to deck four, a banner made from dirty linen hung above it, with the words "Awakener's Zone" painted across it. The awakeners guarding the foot of the stairs tensed when they saw Pal and Bear.
Pal spat tiredly, "Still shameless."
Bear's expression wasn't any better.
There were still plenty of rooms above for survivors, but Leo prohibited non-awakeners from going up unless they wanted to buy water, seaweed, or rent cabins.
That was why poorer survivors could only set up stalls below.
They knocked on the cabin door three times before calling out, "Grandma, Grandpa, it's us—Bear and Pal."
There was a faint scraping sound from inside, followed by a click.
While waiting, Bear noticed fresh scratch marks on the backup key slot below the card reader. His heart dropped.
His thoughts were cut off when the door opened, revealing a slightly hunched old man holding a wooden cane. He wore a worn-out brown jacket over a bleached blue shirt and faded, patched black trousers. His wrinkled, slightly tanned face lit up when he saw them.
"My boys, you're back. Good… good…" he said, his voice turning nasal as tears gathered in his eyes.
Behind him stood an old woman wearing a knee-length grey long-sleeved dress over baggy brown trousers. A knitted blue shawl, riddled with holes, rested on her shoulders. Her grey-and-white hair was tied into a bun with a wooden stick.
As soon as she saw Bear and Pal, the corners of her eyes crinkled into crow's feet, and a gentle smile formed on her lips.
"Welcome back, dear," she said softly. Though time had left marks on her face, it could not conceal her warmth. Her red-rimmed eyes softened with relief.
The heavy weight on Bear's chest throughout his journey lifted the moment he saw that his grandparents were safe.
He had missed them terribly. Without hesitation, he pulled them into a tight embrace. "Sorry for making you worry. I hope things weren't too hard while we were away."
Cecil and George held back their tears and smiled, gently patting Bear and Pal's backs. "All is well as long as you return safely."
Every time Bear and his team left for a trip outside, the two elders barely slept. Nightmares would wake them, and only seeing the boys return safely could calm their restless hearts.
"Leo and his men didn't make things difficult for you, right?" Bear asked.
His grandparents exchanged weary smiles.
"They didn't hurt us, and we didn't dare go out after you left," his grandmother said. "But every night, we heard someone trying to pry open the door. Your grandfather and I couldn't sleep. We had to guard it constantly."
Bear's jaw tightened. He glanced at the drag marks on the wooden floor and the cabinet pushed against the door.
Rage surged within him. They needed to leave this place soon.
"These greedy bastards," Pal muttered. "If I find out who's behind this, I'll teach them a lesson."
After calming down, he walked to his brother's bed.
There were three types of cabins on the crew decks: single cabins, shared cabins, and specialized cabins.
The specialized cabins were the most spacious and even had balcony views. But Bear and Pal had refused them, the tempered glass wouldn't stop robbers or water beasts attacks.
Instead, Bear chose a safer option: a shared interior cabin. It had four bunk beds and a small shared toilet that had long been clogged. Cockroaches used to crawl out of it, so Bear sealed it off and never used it again.
Pal's younger brother occupied one of the lower bunk beds.
The noise stirred the boy awake.
"Grandma, Grandpa… what happened? I heard something…" he mumbled, rubbing his eyes as he sat up. In his hand was a toy truck with peeling red paint, clutched tightly to his chest.
Unlike the others, the child looked relatively healthy. His skin was only slightly tanned, and he lacked the dark patches common among survivors. His frame wasn't thin or frail—it was clear he had been well cared for.
"Steven! How have you been? I missed you, buddy!" Pal knelt beside him, grinning as he ruffled the boy's hair.
The sleepiness vanished from Steven's eyes. They widened as he broke into a bright smile.
"Big brother!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms around Pal's waist.
Bear and his grandparents smiled at the scene.
Usually, when Bear's team returned, Ron and Wells would follow them to greet Cecil and George. Their absence felt strange.
"Wait… where are Ron and Wells?" Bear asked.
At the mention of their names, Grant stepped forward from behind. "That's what I want to ask you two."
"Grant, you're here too. What's going on?"
Bear and Pal ushered Grant inside and shut the door. The cabin was only about twelve square meters, and with everyone inside, it quickly felt cramped.
Cecil lit a wick lamp and placed it on top of the wooden cabinet blocking the door. The room filled with a strong, fishy smell.
No one seemed to mind. They were used to it.
The dim light from the oil lamp wasn't much better than a candle, but it was enough.
In a low voice, Bear told his grandparents and Uncle Grant everything about their trip.
Naturally, it was hard to believe.
Warm food? Unlimited water? Unlimited electricity? A wooden house that could keep out water beasts?
Even Bear and Pal knew how absurd it sounded.
That was why Bear had prepared proof.
He pulled out a cloth bundle from his backpack and carefully unwrapped it, revealing a slightly crushed loaf of bread and a bottle of clean water.
As soon as he opened it, the scent of fresh bread filled the air, instantly shattering their doubts.
He quickly wrapped it again to keep others from catching the smell.
"Oh my goodness… is that…" Cecil gasped.
"Is that real?" Uncle Grant asked, stunned.
"Big brother, can I have a bite?" Steven pleaded, pouting.
"Where did you get this?" George asked in disbelief.