Chapter Ninety: Arrival at the Private Island

Harvey’s private island lay forty-one nautical miles southeast of Starfall Harbor.

From Sonia, he also learned why the harbor bore that name. In the past, a meteor had fallen upon Sandaar, bringing a wave of disaster in its wake.

Later, the event drew many curious souls from all over Sandaar, turning the harbor into a tourist attraction and bringing prosperity to the local economy.

Most of the original inhabitants grew rich from it and moved away one after another, either to Sandaar City or to other cities on the planet.

When ordinary people come into sudden wealth, they are usually not very good at making that money grow.

So most of them chose a more ordinary path: they took their money to a larger city, bought a house outright, settled down, and sought a future there.

Though Starfall Harbor was only eighty kilometers from Sandaar City, that distance was measured to the city gates.

If measured to the city proper, it was at least two hundred kilometers away, and even farther from the center.

With the original inhabitants having gone off to make their fortunes elsewhere, the years following the Starfall event saw the treasure-hunting value beneath these waters gradually vanish.

The local population dwindled as well, and the falling star became little more than a legend passed from mouth to mouth.

Only then were the purchased islands put up for auction, in a final effort to wring out the last remaining value from this land.

Harvey found the tale thought-provoking. One hundred and fifty years was neither long nor short.

For a planet’s natural evolution, it was but a blink of an eye. Yet if intelligent life lived upon that planet, one hundred and fifty years was enough for the world to change beyond recognition.

Soon after, the yacht sailed for half an hour and docked beside a constructed harbor on one of the islands.

Harvey noticed that this harbor was not as large as Starfall Harbor, but by its scale it was still enough to accommodate large cargo ships.

Clearly, Sonia had already anticipated all the developments that would follow.

“Miss Sonia, if you need to be picked up, just send me a message.”

When Sonia had disembarked, Mike called out to her.

“All right. I’ll contact you if I need to.”

Sonia waved back and replied.

“Mr. Cassadine, please follow me.”

“Would you like to see the temple first, the villa first, or perhaps the training grounds?”

Then Sonia led Cassadine onward, asking as they walked.

“Let’s look at the temple first,” Harvey said.

In truth, the villa was not the main thing. The few villas he wanted were merely for changing scenery now and then when he stayed on this island.

The island’s true purpose was to serve as the foundation of the Void Church on Sandaar. So long as that foundation was laid well, everything else would be simple.

“The temple of the Void Church can be seen by following this road to the center of the island.”

“But if we walk all the way there, it’s a bit far. Wouldn’t it be better if I drove you?”

Sonia understood Mr. Cassadine’s intent from his words and offered the suggestion.

“This island will be the foundation of the Void Church on Sandaar in the future.”

“Either way, I want to look it over carefully.”

“Walking will let me see things more clearly.”

Harvey heard that the temple had been built in the center of the island and, taking in the paved road before him, had already formed his own judgment, so he answered lightly.

“All right.”

When Sonia heard the emphasis on carefully, she was confident in her own abilities, but she still felt a trace of nervousness.

Then she led Harvey on a tour of the uninhabited island.

The island had previously been undeveloped, so the trees were tall and dense, but beneath their shade a brand-new road had now been opened.

It had rained a little that morning, and after the sun broke through, the earth gave off the fragrant scent of fresh soil.

Harvey had not been to such a primitive island, untouched by industry, in a long time, and so he looked about with genuine interest.

Money, indeed, had great power. The roads were neat and level, and at intervals there were signposts indicating the way forward.

One did not need to worry about getting lost on an island like this, where a single person could step into it and vanish like a silent splash in water, with no clue left to direction.

“The island’s total area is about three hundred and twenty-seven square kilometers.”

“Following the road from the harbor to the temple, it’s a journey of more than thirty kilometers.”

“Two-thirds of the island still remains undeveloped. For now, only the roads have been built.”

“In the future, we can plan it properly and keep the island’s capital circulating well.”

“There’s no need to spend huge amounts every year maintaining it. The development costs can gradually be recouped and then turned into profit.”

As she led the way, Sonia introduced Harvey to the island’s situation.

Fortunately, she had joined the Void and undergone several evolutions, greatly improving her physical condition; otherwise, this journey of more than two hundred kilometers would have worn her feet to the bone.

“In the future, this island will mostly be managed by you. If you have any plans, bring them to me.”

“As long as I see that they’re feasible, you can apply for funds and proceed with construction,” Harvey said.

“...All right.”

“Still, once the numbers of the Void Church’s members increase, future development costs will actually fall by a great deal.”

“If everyone has received the blessing of the Void, then each of them will possess exceptional physical strength, making them excellent laborers, and they will also enjoy long lives.”

“As long as we purchase the necessary materials and hire the relevant specialists to guide them, it should be enough.”

Sonia’s answer was not one of joy at being told she would manage the island most of the time; instead, she paused for a moment and spoke.

She had already gathered from Mr. Cassadine’s words that his departure in the future might not be for only a few days or half a month, but for much longer.

Truthfully, Sonia wanted to ask him where he intended to live if he spent so much money yet did not often remain on Sandaar.

But she knew very well that it was clearly not a question someone of her standing should ask, so she merely kept it to herself.

“It’s a good thing to save money, but it also depends on whether they are willing to do so.”

“The Void Church cannot force others to give. Otherwise, internal discord will be inevitable.”

“And discord will be the beginning of chaos.”

“So I understand your desire to save money, but when it comes to expenses, what must be spent still has to be spent.”

“So long as one has the ability, there are plenty of ways to make money in this universe.”

Harvey understood Sonia’s wish to save him money, but still offered a reminder.

Sonia was highly reliable and possessed a broad horizon, having seen many things.

But after all, she had only recently joined the Void. She had not yet acquired sufficiently powerful abilities and then easily earned money through them.

So she still maintained the mindset that if something could be saved, then it should be saved.

Of course, Harvey did not think this was a bad attitude. Compared with those who became swollen with pride the moment they gained power, Sonia’s mindset was the better one.

Only, the purpose of the Void Church was to grant other intelligent beings an opportunity to change, not to use the Void as a means of binding them for life.

Moreover, there was no need to actively demand it. Once the Void Church was established, the return flow of support from others would only be a matter of time.

Rather than seeking in every way to exploit someone through force, it was better to let them, unburdened and grateful, willingly repay the Void Church from the heart.